Abstract

The research explores land tenure practices and substandard housing in Bamenda Urban, Northwest Cameroon. Two primary methodologies, quantitative and qualitative, were employed. Using systematic random sampling, sampling frames were determined, and 248 participants were chosen using the Taro Yamane formula with a 5% margin of error and 95% confidence level, alongside field observations. This was combined with qualitative information from secondary materials gathered from online databases, government agencies, NGOs, scholarly journals, conference presentations, news articles, and earlier studies conducted by other authors on the topic, along with library resources. In total, 248 questionnaires were distributed to participants; 183 were completed and returned. Due to the ongoing socio-political crises affecting the region, some participants were internally displaced and could not return the questionnaires at the appointed time. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, were computed to summarise the data. Tables and charts were used to display the results. The findings reveal that merely 15.3% of participants possess legal title deeds, reflecting a limited degree of formal land ownership. In the interim, a significant percentage of the participants hold land informally at 33.3%, while those relying on customary tenure systems make up 24.0%. Findings indicate that swift rural-to-urban migration (30.1%), insufficient affordable housing (33.3%), and unemployment/poverty (21.3%) are the primary factors contributing to poor housing in Bamenda urban areas. The research finds that addressing these problems necessitates a comprehensive approach involving implementing legislation that recognizes and protects traditional land rights, formalizing informal communities, and decentralizing land governance.