The Government aims to complete a national land database by 2026 as part of broader efforts to modernise governance and improve economic efficiency. — Photo baotintuc.vn

HÀ NỘI — Efforts are being accelerated to build a national land database, viewing land information as a critical component of the country's digital infrastructure and a foundation for a new data-driven growth model.

Under Resolution 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, data has been identified as a new factor of production. While highways, seaports and airports serve as physical infrastructure supporting the movement of goods, policymakers increasingly regard data as a soft infrastructure underpinning the digital economy.

Among the country's core data assets, land information is considered particularly important because of its links to urban planning, investment, credit markets, real estate transactions and public asset management. The Government aims to complete a national land database by 2026 as part of broader efforts to modernise governance and improve economic efficiency.

Data challenge

Despite its strategic importance, building a comprehensive national land database remains a significant challenge for Việt Nam.

Land administration has long been associated with a high volume of administrative procedures, disputes and complaints. Experts said one of the main reasons is the fragmented nature of land information systems, which often lack standardisation and effective integration across Government agencies.

Associate Professor Đặng Hùng Võ said transparency is essential for the development of a modern land market. Transaction costs rise and market risks could increase without standardised and publicly accessible information on land-use rights, planning, land prices and legal status, he said.

The consequences are evident in daily business activities.

Trần Văn Minh, a resident of Bắc Ninh Province said it took him almost a month to complete procedures to verify land information for a bank loan because he had to visit multiple agencies to cross-check documents.

Phạm Thị Lan Hương, a small business owner in HCM City, said obtaining planning information remained time-consuming, limiting businesses' ability to make timely investment decisions. She said if data were publicly available and synchronised on digital platforms, businesses would be much more proactive. 

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Việt Nam has about 106 million land parcels, representing a vast volume of information covering ownership, land-use rights, attached assets, planning, land prices and other socio-economic data.

For years, however, much of that information has been stored in different formats across multiple administrative levels.

As part of a nationwide campaign to standardise and enrich land data, authorities had reviewed nearly 62 million land parcels by early 2026. More than 24 million parcels met criteria for being accurate, complete, clean, usable, consistent and shareable, according to the ministry.

The figures highlight both significant progress in the digital transformation of the land sector and the scale of work that remains to be completed.

To accelerate the process, the Government has issued a series of directives aimed at speeding up cadastral mapping, land registration, record digitisation and database construction.

In Directive 05/CT-TTg, Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng instructed ministries, agencies and local authorities to prioritise resources for completing the national land database by 2026, describing it as a key component of Việt Nam's national digital transformation programme.

The government's objective extends beyond digitising paper records. Authorities aim to create a centralised and unified platform capable of connecting with databases on population, taxation, business registration, finance and other specialised government systems. 

"Soft infrastructure" for growth

Developing national databases, including land data systems, could help lower transaction costs, improve market transparency and create new drivers of economic growth. —Photo bnews.vn

Dr Cấn Văn Lực, a member of the National Financial and Monetary Policy Advisory Council, said that data has been becoming a critical production resource in the digital economy. Developing national databases, including land data systems, could help lower transaction costs, improve market transparency and create new drivers of economic growth.

From a real estate perspective, experts said a comprehensive and reliable land database could help curb speculation fuelled by incomplete or inaccurate information.

Sharp land-price increases seen in several localities in recent years have highlighted how limited transparency could contribute to speculative activity and herd behaviour in the property market.

Nguyễn Văn Đính, chairman of the Vietnam Association of Realtors, said a sustainable real estate market depends on transparent and accessible information.

He said when people could easily access planning, legal and pricing data, investment decisions would become more rational, helping to reduce abnormal market fluctuations.

Authorities said the benefits of a national land database would extend well beyond property transactions.

One of the most significant changes is the ability to reuse data across government systems. Instead of repeatedly submitting the same information, citizens and businesses would be able to complete procedures through interconnected digital platforms.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is promoting the sharing of land-use right certificate data with administrative processing systems as part of broader efforts to streamline public services.

Financial institutions could also benefit from faster verification of collateral assets, while real estate developers could reduce the time required to complete project documentation. Tax authorities would gain improved tools for monitoring land-related transactions, and local governments could rely on more accurate information for urban planning and development management.

As a result, officials view the land database not merely as a resource for the natural resources sector but as a platform capable of generating efficiency gains across multiple areas of the economy. — VNS