New digital stamp duty platform to seal loopholes in land transactions

CATHERINE MUINDI-PCO

Land transactions across the country are set to become faster, more transparent and secure after the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning rolled out the National Stamp Duty Module (NSDM) nationwide.

The nationwide rollout demonstrates the Government’s commitment to making land transactions faster, more transparent, and secure for all citizens, while strengthening revenue collection and safeguarding public trust.

The Director of the National Land Information Management System (NLIMS), Monica Obongo, highlighted the transformative impact of the system on land administration in Kenya.

She explained that the module is designed to make stamp duty transactions fully digital, eliminate manual processes, and curb fraudulent activities that have long challenged the sector.

“By the end of February, manual stamp duty processing will be a thing of the past in Kenya. Every transaction must go through Ardhisasa, fully digital, fully traceable, and fully secure. Any title issued outside the system will be null and void.

We are sealing revenue leakages, eliminating duplication, and permanently shutting the door on fraud in land administration,” said Obongo.

The NSDM is part of the ArdhiSasa system, allowing property owners to pay stamp duty digitally through Ardhipay.

Previously, these processes were largely manual, requiring physical document submissions, in-person valuation assessments, long queues, and multiple visits to Lands offices.

This often caused delays, extra costs, and opportunities for fraud. For ‘Wanjiku’, the NSDM offers significant benefits. Property buyers and sellers can now access assessment services online, pay fees securely, and receive instant confirmation of transactions.

The system reduces delays, saves time, and minimizes transport and administrative costs associated with manual processing.

Obongo also noted that standardized valuation data ensures stamp duty is assessed fairly and accurately, protecting citizens from arbitrary charges and enhancing confidence in the land administration system.

Faster property transfers enable individuals to unlock the value of their assets, facilitate investments, and improve access to credit.

The Government also benefits from the system.

By automating assessments and integrating payments through secure digital channels, the NSDM prevents revenue leakages, improves compliance, and ensures all collected funds are properly accounted for.

The system generates realtime data that supports better planning, monitoring, and policy decisions.

Integration with other government platforms enhances inter-agency coordination and aligns with Kenya’s broader national digital transformation agenda.