An Introduction to Land Tenure in Sub-Saharan Africa: Dualism, Reform and the Roots of Conflict, Published by Routledge (2026) In An Introduction to Land Tenure in Sub-Saharan Africa, John W Bruce examines the evolution of customary land tenure and the complex challenges African nations face in land reform. A defining feature of post-colonial land tenure across most African states is the nationalisation of all or most of their land and natural resources. Reforms preceding independence focused on customary tenure, seeking to address local inequities in ownership and use, including unequal access and the marginalisation of certain groups. Bruce points out that in present-day Africa,…