Ardhisasa: Understanding Kenya’s Digital Land Registration & Administration System

Overview

In keeping with the Government’s broader digital transformation agenda, the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning introduced the National Land Information Management System (NLIMS), commonly known as Ardhisasa, to provide land-related services through a digital platform. The introduction of Ardhisasa was intended to streamline land administration processes, improve the accessibility and efficiency of land-related services, and reduce the reliance on manual and predominantly paper-based processes at land registries.

Ardhisasa is an online platform developed by the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning (MOLPP) in collaboration with the National Land Commission and other government stakeholders to allow citizens and other interested parties to interact with information held and processed by the Government pertaining to land. Instead of requiring a person to physically attend a land registry for every transaction, the system allows users to access information, submit applications, make payments and receive responses electronically.

The platform was launched on the 27^th of April 2021 in Nairobi and has progressively been rolled out to other parts of the country.

Development and Roll-out of Ardhisasa

Ardhisasa was introduced as part of the Government’s broader effort to digitise land records and automate land administration. Nairobi was the first major rollout area in 2021. The system has subsequently been extended to other areas as land records are digitised and uploaded onto the platform.

The current rollout is progressive rather than nationwide. As at July 2026, the State Department for Lands reports that Ardhisasa is live in Nairobi and Murang’a, with phased rollouts active in Mombasa, Kiambu, Machakos and Isiolo. In Mombasa, for example, additional registration sections (blocks) have been brought onto the platform, with manual processing to be ceased once those title numbers are onboarded on to Ardhisasa. The Government continues to work towards nationwide rollout.

However, please note that Ardhisasa primarily facilitates transactions in respect of properties that have been registered or converted to the current land registration regime being the Land Registration Act, (CAP 300) and whose records have been migrated onto the platform. Properties still registered under the land registers associated with the repealed statutes may first require conversion before they can be fully onboarded and transacted through Ardhisasa.

Services provided for on Ardhisasa

The platform brings together services administered by the MOLPP and the National Land Commission. Some of the services provided include official searches, transfers, leases, cautions, charges (mortgages), power of attorney and stamp duty-related processes.

Who Can Create an Ardhisasa Account and Why?

Ardhisasa accommodates different categories of users, including individuals and companies, who may create accounts to access land-related services available on the platform. Professional users, such as advocates and licensed surveyors, may also register and upgrade their accounts to access additional professional functions.

The need for an Ardhisasa account will depend on the nature of the transaction and the services being accessed. For instance, in a land purchase transaction, the purchaser will require an Ardhisasa ID to facilitate the processing and payment of the stamp duty payable on the transfer. In areas where land registration services have been migrated to Ardhisasa, the purchaser will also require an account to undertake the purchaser-side steps in the registration process. For example, in a transfer of property, the purchaser may be required to verify the transfer application, append an electronic signature and access the stamp duty invoice through their Ardhisasa account, while the purchaser’s advocate initiates and processes the transfer through the advocate’s professional account.

Individual Registration

A Kenyan citizen registering as an individual is required to provide National ID number and the serial number of their current ID, an official Kenyan phone number, KRA PIN Certificate a personal email address, maiden name and a password. The registration process involves verification of the identification details, mobile number and email address before the account is activated.

For a foreigner, one can create an account on the Ardhisasa portal by initiating an online support ticket for verification. Requirements for foreigners are a copy of a valid passport or via Alien ID verification if holding a local alien card, Kenyan phone number, valid email address and KRA PIN Certificate. Foreign accounts are verified through the Directorate of Immigration Services. This therefore delays the creation of accounts for foreigners.

The email address and phone number provided during registration are used for verification and authentication, including the receipt of OTPs during account creation, login and when undertaking certain transactions on the platform as such, the email address and phone number need to be active and to be easily accessed.

Company Registration

The current company registration process requires the company name, company registration number, country of incorporation, KRA PIN where available, physical and postal addresses, an official telephone number and company email address. The telephone number is verified through an OTP, as is the email address, after which the company sets its password and accepts the platform’s terms and conditions. The company has to be linked and verified on the Business Registration Service (BRS) portal (Companies Registry).

Conclusion

Ardhisasa represents a fundamental shift in the administration of land in Kenya from predominantly paper-based processes towards a digital land information system. Its purpose is not merely to make land transactions available online, but to improve the accessibility and efficiency of land administration.

As this is a new system, there are times when downtime is experienced which may temporarily affect access to the platform and lead to delay in transactions.

However, as its rollout remains progressive, access to particular services will depend on whether the relevant property and registration section have been converted, digitised and onboarded onto the platform.