“The suspension of permits hinders the formalization of 200 purchasing offices and fuels illicit circuits of gold and diamond marketing”
The suspension of the issuance and renewal of certain permits for the marketing of gold and diamonds by the National Mining Company (SONAMINES) is causing tensions with the National Union of Promoters of Diamond Purchasing Offices, Gold, and Artisanal Miners of Cameroon (SYNAPROBADIOCAM). The union challenges the legal basis of this decision and raises questions of competition and governance of the sector. While the unionists are considering appealing to the competent authorities, this dispute highlights the challenges of formalizing the artisanal mining sector.
After the Director General of SONAMINES on June 8, 2026, it is now the turn of the president of SYNAPROBADIOCAM to give his analysis of the situation.
Interview conducted by Bernard BANGDA
Financial Afrik: Since when have you observed these refusals to issue or renew permits by SONAMINES, and what reasons has SONAMINES SA given to justify them?
Ousmanou Aladji Hamadou: We have observed this situation of waiting and latency since the progressive implementation of the new legislative and regulatory framework, resulting from Law No. 2023/014 of December 19, 2023 on the Mining Code and, more recently, Decree No. 2024/05251/PM of November 19, 2024. The main reason, in our opinion, lies in a divergence of legal interpretation of the texts regarding the role and prerogatives of each actor in the gold and precious substances market.
On one hand, SONAMINES relies on the purchasing mission for the State entrusted to it by Article 4, paragraph 2, of its founding decree, believing it should exercise exclusivity through regulation. On the other hand, our reading is based on the higher regulatory framework adopted by the government. Specifically, Article 1, paragraph 2, of the 2023 Mining Code, which expressly states that the law aims to encourage and promote private investments in the sector; then, Article 154 of the same text, which enshrines the freedom of organization of the company and the free movement of products; finally, Decree No. 2024/05251/PM, especially its articles 2, 9 paragraph 2 and 15, explicitly recognizes the existence and exercise rights of marketing counters and private collectors, while guaranteeing artisanal miners the free choice to sell to SONAMINES, counters, or accredited collectors.
It is therefore essentially a need for harmonization in the interpretation of the texts. We also recall that, in accordance with Article 3 of the Mining Code, the competence to grant and process permits lies with the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Technological Development (MINMIDT). SONAMINES and private counters are not in opposition, but are part of a necessary complementarity for the overall supervision of the sector.
During the negotiations with SONAMINES, which did not lead to an agreement, what did you propose and on what point did the dialogue break down?
We do not speak of a breakdown in dialogue, but rather of a stage of consultation that needs to be finalized and implemented. SYNAPROBADIOCAM has always shown total availability to build a strong and transparent partnership with SONAMINES.
During joint working sessions, we provided all the operational data requested by SONAMINES regarding our staff and the capacities of our members in the field. To go further and secure this collaboration, we formally submitted to the general management of SONAMINES a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This framework document aimed to establish a common working methodology, clarify traceability procedures, and harmonize our actions in the field.
The main sticking points are mainly on the economic balance of field commitments, including certain constraints related to weekly delivery targets, discount rates, payment terms, as well as the reaffirmation of the legal role of private counters.
SYNAPROBADIOCAM remains fully open and ready to resume these exchanges to sign this MoU, as we are convinced that coordination between the public operator and the private corporation is the key to controlling the flow of gold in Cameroon.
Specifically, what is the impact of this blockage on the activity and income of your members in the field?
The main impact is a form of operational uncertainty that weakens the value chain and hinders the collective effort of sanitation undertaken by the State.
For our members, more than 200 marketing companies that have submitted their files in accordance with fiscal and administrative requirements, the absence of final formalization slows down their full integration into the formal circuit. This affects their cash flow and creates vulnerability in the field during road and security checks, due to the lack of possession of definitive titles.
But beyond our members, it is the national economy that suffers from this waiting. The State needs all formal actors to ensure full traceability and maximize the collection of tax revenues – corporate tax, advances, and exit duties – provided for by the General Tax Code. In addition, the temporary freeze of these permits delays the creation of nearly 500 direct jobs and 1,500 indirect jobs, mainly intended for young national entrepreneurs in the mining regions of the East, Adamaoua, and the North.
What do you expect from the National Competition Council, which you announce you will appeal to?
Indeed, we now believe that appealing to the National Competition Council is no longer the priority or necessary route. The context has evolved and we firmly favor the path of direct and constructive institutional dialogue between SONAMINES and SYNAPROBADIOCAM.
Our approach is fully in line with the search for concerted solutions. SONAMINES, as the State’s secular arm, and formal private marketing counters are natural and complementary partners. The legal and regulatory framework set by the 2023 Mining Code and the 2024 Prime Minister’s Decree offer sufficiently clear bases for us to find common ground.
We sincerely believe that a serene working session around the MoU project we submitted will harmonize our understandings of the texts, address misunderstandings, and definitively defuse tensions. It is through internal consultation and frank collaboration that we will succeed together in ensuring the traceability of mining products and sanitizing the sector, for the benefit of the public treasury and the national economy.
If the situation does not improve, what actions do you plan for the future?
SYNAPROBADIOCAM will always prioritize the path of republican consultation, technical dialogue, and strict compliance with laws. Our ambition is to be a force for support and proposal for the government, MINMIDT, the Ministry of Finance – including the General Directorate of Taxes and Customs – as well as for SONAMINES.
Trust, partnership, and shared vision guide our approach with the State, which needs all its sons and all its actors to sanitize the sector, eradicate the informal sector, and dry up clandestine circuits. The same State needs a strong SONAMINES, supported by accredited and responsible private counters in the field.
We advocate for a common success based on SONAMINES, whose success in missions is that of the entire mining sector. Achieving its structuring and valorization objectives concretely improves the experience of private counters, collectors, and artisanal miners, who will thrive in a secure environment.
Finally, there is an urgent need to formalize the activities of private promoters. This is to support Cameroonian entrepreneurial youth, consolidate public treasury revenues, and strengthen security in our cross-border areas.
