After significant technical planning, the Government of Jamaica has officially signed the contract to implement the e-Titles system, a groundbreaking digital platform that will modernise the country’s land administration framework. This project, fully funded from the Government’s budget, marks a historic first for the country.

Spearheaded by a local technical team, the e-Titles system will replace the traditional paper-based process with a secure, fully digital registry. It will enable digital issuance and storage of land titles, real-time updates to records, and secure online access for property owners, legal professionals, and government agencies. Key transactions, including transfers, mortgages, and subdivisions, will be processed more quickly and efficiently, drastically reducing delays and administrative burdens.

The e-Titles initiative is part of a broader strategy to formalise over 350,000 informal and unregistered parcels of land, valued at approximately J$200 billion, providing secure ownership to citizens and communities. By empowering Jamaicans with legally recognised property titles, the project will transform informal settlements into thriving, formally recognised communities and enable land to be leveraged as a valuable economic asset.

“This is more than a contract signing; we are moving to implement a strategic national imperative,” said Ms. Cheriese Walcott, CEO of the National Land Agency (NLA). “We are not just digitising land titles; we are modernising Jamaica’s future.”

Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Arlene Williams, also lauded the progress made, explaining that the initiative followed significant work, to include approval by the Public Investment Management Committee (PIMC), and subsequent approval by the Cabinet for inclusion in the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP).

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, speaking during the 2025/26 Budget Debate, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to modernising land titling, highlighting the role of e-Titles in regularising informal settlements and improving access to land as an economic asset. The contract, valued at just over Thirty-Four Million United States Dollars, was executed by the Fujitsu Caribbean (Jamaica) Limited and the Government of Jamaica, through the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and the National Land Agency.

With the contract signed, the implementation phase begins immediately, including public consultation, system development, education campaigns, and a phased rollout of digital operations. Full adoption is expected by 2027–2028, following amendments to the Registration of Titles Act.