Last updated: June 2026
Buyers in the United States and Canada can purchase property in Accra entirely remotely. As a foreign national you hold a 50-year renewable lease and own the building outright. The process is the same each time: verify the title at the Lands Commission, sign through a Ghanaian lawyer and a consular-legalised power of attorney, pay only into a law-firm or escrow account, and buy from a developer with a delivery record. Apartments priced in USD spare a dollar-based buyer any exchange risk.
Tens of thousands of Ghanaians and friends of Ghana live in North America, and a steady share of them are buying back home, often without setting foot on the site until handover. It works because the legal route is well worn and the paperwork is predictable. This guide walks through it for a buyer in New York, Toronto, Houston or anywhere in between. For the broader version that covers every market, see our full diaspora buying guide.
Can Americans and Canadians own property in Ghana?
Yes. Foreign nationals cannot own land outright, but they can hold a 50-year renewable lease and own the building on it outright. That lease is a real, bankable asset: it can be mortgaged, transferred and passed on to your heirs. Ghanaian and dual citizens can hold leases of up to 99 years.
This matters for apartments in particular. When you buy a unit in a development like those in Airport Residential, you own your apartment and hold a share of the long lease on the land beneath the building. Your name, not a nominee’s, sits on the title. If you also hold Ghanaian citizenship, you can ask what changes on the longer 99-year term.
The remote purchase, step by step
A remote purchase moves through five stages: reserve the unit, verify the title, sign the agreement, pay, then register and take handover. Each one can be done from North America, with your lawyer and a power of attorney covering anything that needs a physical signature in Ghana.
| Stage | What happens | Done remotely? |
|---|---|---|
| Reserve | Pick the unit and pay a reservation fee to hold it | Yes, online |
| Verify | Your lawyer runs a title search at the Lands Commission | Yes |
| Sign | Sales and purchase agreement, signed by you or your attorney | Yes, with a power of attorney |
| Pay | Cash or milestone payments into a law-firm or escrow account | Yes, by bank transfer |
| Register and hand over | Title registered, keys released on completion | Yes |
The order is deliberate. Money should never move before the title search is back clean, and the agreement should set out the payment schedule and the completion date in writing. With a completed or professionally managed off-plan development, every one of these steps is documented.
Do you actually need to fly to Ghana?
No. A live video walkthrough handles the viewing, and a power of attorney lets your lawyer sign on your behalf. Many North American buyers complete a purchase and only travel once the keys are ready, or not at all if the home is for rental.
The one piece you cannot shortcut is legalising your power of attorney. Ghana is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, so a US or Canadian apostille on its own will not be accepted. The document must be notarised at home and then legalised at a Ghanaian mission: the Embassy of Ghana in Washington DC or the consulate in New York, or the High Commission in Ottawa. Build a few weeks into your timeline for it. A dedicated guide to the power of attorney covers the wording and the risks.
How payments work from North America
Pay by international bank transfer into a law-firm or escrow account, never into a personal account. Ghana’s investment law lets a registered foreign investor repatriate rental income and sale proceeds in a convertible currency through an authorised bank, net of tax, so your money is not trapped.
For an off-plan unit, payments are usually staged: a deposit of 10% to 30%, then milestone payments tied to construction over 12 to 36 months, typically interest-free. That spreads the cost and means you are paying against visible progress rather than a promise.
Will you be taxed twice?
Probably not, but the mechanism matters. Ghana taxes a non-resident’s rental income at around 25% and charges 15% on capital gains. The US and Canada both tax their residents’ worldwide income, and neither has a tax treaty with Ghana in force, so relief comes through a foreign tax credit at home rather than a treaty exemption.
| Your country | Tax treaty with Ghana? | How you avoid being taxed twice |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No treaty in force | Claim a US foreign tax credit for the Ghanaian tax you pay (Form 1116) |
| Canada | No treaty in force | Claim a Canadian foreign tax credit for the Ghanaian tax you pay |
In plain terms: you pay the Ghanaian tax, then claim a credit for it against your US or Canadian liability on the same income. New residential buildings also carry a five-year exemption on rental income tax in Ghana, which can sit neatly with a credit claim. Tax is the one area to run past your own accountant, because the figures turn on your personal situation.
The currency angle for dollar earners
Prime Accra apartments are commonly priced and let in US dollars. For a US buyer that removes exchange risk on both the purchase and the rent. For a Canadian buyer it means one conversion from Canadian to US dollars, then a hard-currency asset that holds its value against cedi swings.
This is the quiet advantage of buying in Accra rather than at home. Your income and your asset are both in dollars, while the local cost base sits in cedis. To see how that plays out as a yield, look at how USD rental income behaves against cedi volatility.
A hard-currency asset
Imaani apartments are priced and let in USD and delivered on a 100% on-time record, so a dollar-based buyer carries no exchange risk and no completion guesswork. See what is available.
View available apartmentsAvoiding scams from thousands of miles away
The single biggest risk in Ghana is land sold more than once. An official title search at the Lands Commission plus a licensed, established developer removes most of it. Never pay into a personal account, insist on a law-firm or escrow account, and treat pressure to pay quickly as a warning sign.
Distance makes verification more important, not less. A developer with a delivery record, a registered title and a lawyer acting for you is worth far more than a cheaper plot with a thin paper trail. For the full checklist, read how to avoid property scams in Ghana when buying from abroad.
About Imaani Homes
Imaani Homes is an Accra-based luxury real estate developer, established in 2019, building investment-grade apartments in Ghana’s most prestigious addresses. Across four developments we have delivered every project on time, with two fully sold out: JAK Royale, our debut development, and The Ivy. Alexis Residence in Tesano is over 90% sold, and our flagship Regalia, in the Airport Residential Area, is open for reservations. Our standard is simple: the right property, in the right address, delivered exactly as promised.
Frequently asked questions
Can a US or Canadian citizen buy property in Ghana?
Yes. As a foreign national you cannot hold freehold land, but you can hold a 50-year renewable lease and own the building on it outright. The lease can be mortgaged, transferred and inherited. Dual citizens can hold leases of up to 99 years.
Do I have to fly to Ghana to complete the purchase?
No. Every stage can be handled remotely. Most North American buyers appoint a lawyer in Ghana and grant a power of attorney so the agreement and registration can be signed on their behalf, with virtual tours standing in for an in-person viewing.
How do I legalise a power of attorney from the US or Canada?
Ghana is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not enough. The document is notarised at home and then legalised at a Ghanaian mission: the Embassy of Ghana in Washington DC or the consulate in New York for US buyers, or the High Commission in Ottawa for Canadian buyers.
Will I be taxed twice on rental income?
Ghana taxes a non-resident’s rental income at around 25% and charges 15% on capital gains. The US and Canada both tax worldwide income, and neither has a tax treaty with Ghana in force, so you avoid double taxation by claiming a foreign tax credit at home for the Ghanaian tax paid. Check the specifics with your tax adviser.
How do I send the money safely?
Pay by bank transfer into a law-firm or escrow account, never a personal account. Ghana’s investment law guarantees that a registered foreign investor can repatriate income and sale proceeds in a convertible currency through an authorised bank, net of taxes.
Buying from the US or Canada?
Send us your budget and timeline and we will map the full remote purchase for you, including the consular steps for your power of attorney.
Start your remote purchaseImportant notice. The figures in this article, including yields, prices, costs, tax rates, and timelines, are indicative estimates based on current market conditions and public sources, and are provided for general information only. They are not guarantees, forecasts, or financial, legal, or tax advice. Actual figures vary with circumstances and change over time. Before making any decision, seek independent professional advice. All purchases are governed solely by the terms of the relevant Sales and Purchase Agreement.