An ordinary lease of state land in Cameroon entitles the lessee to be in possession of the property for a period not exceeding 18 years. It is granted with an obligation to develop the property on the following conditions;
- The rent shall be payable in advance and be subject to revision.
- The lessee shall bear all charges relating to the property and in particular, shall pay all property taxes and accessory taxes.
- Authorized state employees shall be allowed to visit the property to check whether the lessee is fulfilling his obligations or not.
- The lessee shall not assign his lease or agree to sublet the same without authorization.
- On the expiry of the lease, the state shall repossess the property and may exercise its rights of preemption over any amenities, buildings, or installations existing on it.
The lessee may give up his lease provided that all rent due has been paid and six months’ notice has been given. In the case of renunciation, the lessee must leave the property in the state where it is located. However, the state may insist that the property be left in the state it was at the beginning of the lease.
In case of negligence on the part of the lessee, the state may carry out the necessary works at his expense. Recovery of these funds will be pursued against the lessee as public debt.
The state may terminate the lease without compensation for non-fulfillment of the lessee’s obligations. The termination shall be made by order of the Minister in Charge of Property, Surveys, and Land Tenure three months after formal notice by registered mail or served by a bailiff. The lessee is obliged to release the property within three months of notification of the decree declaring the termination.
Any agreement engaged by the lessee in violation of the terms of the lease shall be automatically null and void and shall entail the immediate termination of the lease without compensation. The lessee and all tenants authorized by him shall be evicted.