Premises selection must account for title, permitted use and operating approvals. Review the land right, registered owner, encumbrances, boundaries, access, utilities, zoning, construction and occupancy status, environmental constraints and the landlord’s authority before signing. A lease should allocate fit-out, repairs, service charges, insurance, regulatory works, assignment, renewal, termination and reinstatement.

The National Land Authority explains that leasehold is Rwanda’s principal tenure and maintains the land register. Its foreigner guidance states that a foreigner generally holds residential land through emphyteutic lease and may possess one qualifying residential plot or condominium unit. A foreigner or foreign-owned company may possess land for investment in accordance with a business plan approved by the competent authority; larger or multiple residential holdings also require the specified investment justification.

Commercial or industrial land should therefore be assessed against the investment purpose, local land-use plan and approval route. State land for strategic investment may be allocated under a concession or investment lease. Land approval does not replace construction, environmental, fire, health or sector permissions.

Build property due diligence into the licensing plan. A site may be legally occupied but unsuitable for the intended regulated activity. Make the lease or acquisition conditional where a critical permission, investment approval or title verification is outstanding, and avoid irreversible fit-out expenditure before those conditions are resolved.