Foreigners cannot own freehold land in Zanzibar, but they can legally buy residential units inside investment projects approved by the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA). Ownership takes the form of a long leasehold registered to the buyer, which can be sold, inherited and let. Buying inside such a project — rather than a private plot through a local nominee — is the route professional advisers recommend.
A typical process: reserve the unit, commission an independent Tanzanian lawyer, review the sale and purchase agreement together with the lease and operator agreement, pay the deposit into the developer's designated account, follow a staged or completion payment, then register the lease. Budget for legal fees, registration and stamp duty, and ask your lawyer for the current rates, which change over time.
Purchasers in approved projects may be eligible for a residence permit linked to the investment; eligibility rules and thresholds should be confirmed with ZIPA or your lawyer at the time of purchase. Prices and income are usually in US dollars, so European buyers should factor in currency risk. Our Zanzibar listings show euro prices converted from USD on a stated date, plus the projected return range and its assumptions.