During the 4th edition of the International Mining Convention and Exhibition of Cameroon (CIMEC) held in Yaoundé in May 2024, the interim Minister of Mines, Fuh Calistus Gentry, awarded the Solidarité minière du Cameroun (SOMCA) company the first prize for innovation in the mining sector in Cameroon. According to the Cameroonian Minister of Mines, “this award was given to SOMCA for the quality and attractiveness of its booth, the strong mobilization on site, and the respect for its societal and environmental commitments.”
However, on the ground, everything indicates that “for the past three years, we have been at a standstill,” according to the person presenting himself as the general director (DG) of this company, Guy Vincent Noubossé (but who is actually the camp manager), found at the SOMCA mining site in Kambele, near Batouri, in the East region, on June 1, 2026. This was during the first stage of a joint mission involving the Ministry of Finance (Minfi), represented by Cameroonian customs, the Ministry of Mines, and the National Mining Company (Sonamines), whose DG, Serge Hervé Boyogueno, led the delegation that, from June 1 to 6, 2026, would visit the gold-bearing regions of Adamaoua and the East to “collect the synthetic mining tax (ISML) and the exit duty (DS) owed by mining operators to the State.” The head of the mining company, whose promoter is Gustave Kuete, confessed when the DG of Sonamines pointed out to him “your illegality evidenced by your presence on the list of 200 mining companies declared as such by the Minister of Mines.”
Indeed, looking at this list, SOMCA is the 107th on the grounds that it is “without authorization.” In other words, SOMCA did not subscribe to the payment of the environmental deposit of 63 million CFA francs (about 112,000 USD) required by the Cameroonian Mining Code. Consequently, like other companies “without authorization,” the Minister of Mines conditions the exercise, or resumption, of semi-mechanized artisanal mining by “complying with tax obligations, notably by paying the ISML (25%), the export tax (5%), and the fees related to the mining policy development fund (1%).” The mining operator wishing to comply with the law should also “meet the minimum production threshold set at 5 kg/month.”
Clearly, SOMCA has not complied with all these requirements. Its DG found on-site indicates that “we do not have authorization for semi-mechanized artisanal mining.” But he tries to justify by stating that “for the past three years, we have been submitting requests in this regard without positive responses from the Ministry of Mines.”
Double talk
However, on the ground, everything suggests that the company continues to carry out its activities peacefully. Furthermore, Guy Vincent Noubossé recalls that “we have an authorization held by the promoter who is traveling.” A statement that contrasts with that of an internal source at SOMCA. “Legally, as a company, we are properly constituted. As a mining company, we do not have semi-mechanized authorization. Therefore, we are not working. We are waiting for the follow-up of the files we have submitted, and we are experiencing a standstill.” Our source also indicates that “the only quarry we were operating is the one visited by the DG of Sonamines in Kambélé. We have stopped our activities since our suspension.” To justify the activities taking place on the SOMCA site despite the lack of authorization, our interlocutor is unequivocal: “We are service providers, especially in gravel processing. Our quarry is, therefore, invaded. In short, we are not working, and we have relocated our activities.”
“Double game”?
Regarding the authorization mentioned by Guy Vincent Noubosse, it could be a correspondence from the interim Minister of Mines dated February 28, 2026, with the subject “Your request for support for a migration to a closed-loop washing system.” In this correspondence, Fuh Calistus Gentry writes to two individuals, private individuals whom he addresses by their names, “under the cover of the DG of SOMCA.” He informs them that “your company is authorized to continue mining beyond 30 meters deep in the perimeters (objects of two decisions, editor’s note) under the supervision of the Ministry of Mines teams […] and to set up a system for processing mineralized gravel in a closed-loop, under the supervision of an expert in the field.” Upon analysis, it is based on this document that SOMCA provides its services to other entities.
