During a press conference held on July 15, 2026 in Yaoundé, the Minister of Mines of Cameroon, Fuh Calistus Gentry, announced that the government will launch a wide-scale control operation starting from August 1, 2026, aimed at recovering a total of 395 billion CFA francs (approximately 680 million USD) in tax and customs revenues from the production of around 17.17 tons of gold, at the current rate of 80,000 CFA francs (approximately 138 USD) per gram. These revenues, covering gold production from 2025 and 2026, consist of the mining synthetic tax (ISML) and the exit duty (DS).
In detail, the Minister of Mines informs that the Treasury expects at least 95 billion CFA francs (approximately 164 million USD) from the production of 4.13 tons of gold in 2025. For 2026, the government announces an additional 300 billion CFA francs (approximately 517 million USD) in revenues for 13.04 tons of gold.
The Cameroonian government justifies this tax recovery operation because, according to Fuh Calistus Gentry, “nearly 90% of the gold produced in the country escapes the official collection channels, depriving the State of substantial tax revenues and fueling a vast informal market.” The operation targets operators active in the production areas of the East and Adamaoua regions. The state aims to regain control of its gold sector.
This tax recovery marks a tightening of control policy in an activity long characterized by a low traceability of transactions and exports. The extent of the losses highlights the limitations of the current mining governance system. Despite the reforms undertaken in recent years, a large part of artisanal production continues to be marketed outside approved channels, reducing tax revenues and official reserves.
As an illustration, in an April 2016 mission report conducted in the mining sites of the East region, the Support Framework for the Promotion of Mining Crafts (CAPAM) already revealed that “the State of Cameroon loses one billion CFA francs per month in mining sites, which amounts to 12 billion CFA francs per year.” The predecessor of the National Mining Company (Sonamines) blamed “the tricks of operators during gold washing sessions.” It also blamed “CAPAM personnel” whose responsibility was engaged in false production declarations. In a system that continues to be declarative, the ambiguity in mining exploitation, especially gold mining, in Cameroon, has a bright future ahead.
According to a mining investigations expert, “the so-called tax recovery operation initiated by the Minister of Mines is another subterfuge to cover up his failures in this sector.” While officially this initiative aims to “strengthen operators’ compliance with reporting obligations and marketing rules,” in reality, it is for the Cameroonian government to “expand the tax base of the extractive sector.” Indeed, argues our source, “beyond the budget shortfall, this situation affects macroeconomic balances.” Especially in Cameroon, gold is a strategic asset that can enhance exports, improve foreign reserves, and support public finances in a context of diversifying sources of income.
This offensive comes as Cameroon seeks to enhance the contribution of the mining sector to its economic development. Several industrial projects are underway in the gold, iron, bauxite, rutile, and nickel sectors, with the ambition to increase local value added.
However, the challenge remains significant. The predominance of artisanal gold mining, porous borders, and the existence of informal networks favor illicit exports of the precious metal to neighboring countries and international markets.
For investors, formalizing the sector nevertheless presents an opportunity. Better traceability of production would strengthen sector credibility, improve governance, and facilitate access to international financing, increasingly conditioned on compliance with transparency and accountability criteria.
The success of this strategy will depend on the authorities’ ability to combine tax control, modernization of collection, and incentives for operators’ formalization. The goal is to transform gold into a real growth driver while reducing the weight of the informal economy.
