If you are buying property in Zanzibar, you are buying a lease, not land. That is true for foreign buyers and for Zanzibaris alike. This guide explains who owns the land, where the familiar "99 years" comes from, and what you can and cannot do with a lease once you hold it.
All land in Zanzibar is public land, vested in the President under the Land Tenure Act of 1992. Foreign buyers typically hold a government lease of up to 99 years, usually granted in 33-year phases, on a unit inside an approved project. You own the lease and the building rights, not the ground beneath them.
The state does. The Land Tenure Act declares that public land is vested in, and at the disposition of, the President. There is no freehold in the sense a UK or US buyer would recognise.
What the law allows instead is leasing. The same Act lets the Minister lease public land to any person, "Zanzibari or non-Zanzibari". Every private interest in land, including yours, rests on a lease or a right of occupancy granted by government.
From practice more than from a single line of statute, and it is worth understanding why.
The 1992 Act, as originally written, capped leases of public land at 49 years, renewable. Regulations made in 2008 set the minimum long-term lease at 33 years, also renewable. Zanzibar law firms report that foreign buyers in approved condominium projects are now granted terms of up to 99 years, normally in 33-year phases, and that terms of 33, 66 or 99 years are common.
Later regulations and the 2010 Condominium Act have built on the 1992 Act, so do not treat the 49-year figure as the whole story. The point for you is simple. Check the exact term, and the renewal conditions, written on the lease you are being offered. Do not rely on a brochure.
Most foreign buyers purchase a unit in a project registered under the Condominium Act of 2010. Under that Act, each unit is a distinct piece of real property, registered with a Registrar of Condominium. The developer holds the head lease, and buyers take title to their individual units.
Law firms also describe a role for the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority, which approves investment projects and can issue a no-objection certificate. Many listings on ZanzibarFind state their tenure. The Hills Nungwi 2 Bedroom Residence, for example, is listed as 99-year leasehold in an approved project, and The Clove 2 Bedroom Villa, at US$220,000, is also listed as 99-year leasehold.
Our step-by-step guide on how to buy property in Zanzibar as a foreign buyer covers the full process.
More than many buyers expect. Under the Condominium Act, a unit owner may:
Law firms add that once a property is developed to its approved plan, the lease can typically be sold or assigned. Two approvals may be involved. The 2025 investment regulations require the investment authority's approval to transfer an approved investment, and a Land Transfer Board approves long-term transfers and leases. Build time for these approvals into any resale plan.
Leases in Zanzibar are generally granted as renewable. Both the 1992 Act and the 2008 regulations describe renewal. What you should not assume is that renewal is automatic or free.
Ask your lawyer three things. What are the renewal conditions written into this lease? Is the full 99 years granted now, or only the first 33-year phase? And what annual land rent is payable? Leases carry a ground rent, and the law provides for it to be reviewed.
It may help, but it is not automatic. The Citizen reported in 2023 that a new immigration law grants residence permits to home-buyers investing above US$100,000. Eligibility, the family members covered and the permit terms depend on the project and on current immigration rules, so confirm them with the investment authority or a lawyer before you rely on them.
Before you fall for a view, read the lease. Confirm the term, the phasing, the renewal conditions, the land rent and the transfer rules, and have a Tanzanian lawyer licensed in Zanzibar check the title with the land registry. Our checklist on what to look for when buying property in Zanzibar sets out the other checks. When you are ready, browse properties for sale in Zanzibar, and check the tenure on each listing.
This guide is general information as of September 2026, not legal advice. Land law and investment rules in Zanzibar change. Take independent legal advice from a Tanzanian lawyer licensed in Zanzibar before you commit to a purchase.
