Author: benberga@yahoo.fr

A new legal and administrative twist in business circles in Yaoundé. The land dispute between Célestin Tawamba, president of the Groupement des entreprises du Cameroun (GECAM) and leader of the Société civile immobilière (SCI) Le Neyang, and Crescence Baboke, wife of the deputy director of the civil cabinet of the presidency, is escalating. This case highlights the chronic vulnerability of property rights and legal insecurity that weighs on the Cameroonian entrepreneurial ecosystem. An administrative and legal imbroglio At the origin of this case, according to the manager of the SCI, the company was regularly awarded, in April 2016, land title…

On October 5, 2026, French justice dealt a major financial blow to the State of Cameroon. Indeed, on that day, Parisian courts upheld a conservatory seizure of 11.7 billion CFA francs (approximately USD 20 million) on Cameroonian assets held in France. This decision stems from a long-standing commercial dispute between Yaoundé and the promoters of...

According to the Banking Commission of Central Africa (COBAC), local and regional investors now control 23 out of the 54 credit institutions operating in the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), representing an estimated control rate of 42.6%. This movement confirms the gradual disengagement of major Western banking groups from the sub-regional market....

After a six-year period of dormancy, the Cameroonian government, through Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute, relaunched the 12th session of the Cameroon Business Forum (CDF) in Douala on October 21, 2026. This main economic consultation framework between the public and private sectors brings together ministers, business leaders, and representatives of the Groupement des Entreprises du Cameroun (GECAM). Cameroonian employers justified their withdrawal from this platform since 2021 by “unfulfilled government promises”. Business leaders denounced “the low rate of implementation of recommendations made in previous editions”. The private sector has always demanded from the government “concrete and immediate reforms for the…

In a circular dated October 19, 2026, the Gabonese government acknowledged that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is still reviewing the conclusions of its public debt audit. This circular also indicates that “the figures may change” after this audit. It is recalled that in June 2026, Gabon launched the audit after requesting a program from the IMF in March 2026. In September of the same year, the Ministry of Economy reduced the state’s commitments from nearly 11,700 to 9,524.6 billion CFA francs (from 20 to 16.3 billion USD approximately) as of December 31, 2025. This represents a decrease of 18.6%.…

Five weeks after an initial unsuccessful attempt on the market of the Central African States Bank (BEAC), the Central African public Treasury scheduled, on October 19, 2026, a buyback offer of 7.5 billion CFA francs (approximately USD 12.9 million) of public securities maturing in November and December 2026. The announcement was made by the Ministry...

Gathered in N’Djamena on October 14, 2026, the shareholders of the Housing Bank of Chad (BHT) approved the restructuring and recapitalization operations of their establishment. This operation positions the pan-African group Atlantic Financial Group (AFG) as the majority shareholder. The Central African Banking Commission (COBAC) still needs to validate the transaction. The operation accelerates AFG’s...

The South African fund Bosch Capital is claiming nearly 185 billion CFA francs (almost 330 million USD) from Gabon. According to a correspondence dated August 24, 2026, Bosch Capital, through its advisors at the Seven Pillars Law firm, informed the Gabonese government that it has until September 3, 2026 to settle this debt originally held by Paramount Group. This debt stems from a delivery contract between 2000 and 2007, by this South African company specialized in the defense sector and Aerosud, for Mirage F1AZ aircraft belonging to the former fleet of the South African Air Force. According to Africa Intelligence,…

According to the mid-term evaluation report of the National Development Strategy 2020-2030 (SND30), local production only covers 5% of the formal drug consumption by the end of 2025, through only eight industrial units. Compared to its African neighbors, the country remains significantly behind. For example, Senegal covers between 10% and 15% of its consumption with four production units, Ivory Coast 8% with five units. The gap widens even further compared to Tunisia, where 28 factories cover 45% of the market, and Morocco, where 40 units cover 65% of the national demand. A competitiveness deficit that fuels dependence on imports According…

On August 21, 2026, the Deputy General Manager of the Autonomous Port of Douala (PAD), Charles Michaux Moukoko Njoh, received a delegation from the U.S. Congress led by Mike McCabe, Chief of Staff of the Subcommittee for Africa of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The visit to this Cameroonian port was followed by a meeting at the PAD headquarters. The meeting focused on port and maritime security, a key issue to reassure international markets and secure commercial flows in the Gulf of Guinea. This issue remains sensitive for a port that handles 95% of Cameroon’s national port traffic – and…

On an initial target of 35 billion CFA francs (approximately 62 million USD), the Chadian public treasury only raised 29 billion CFA francs (nearly 52 million USD) on the sub-regional Treasury securities market between August 5 and 19, 2026, through three separate auction operations. This represents a global coverage rate of about 84%, gradually improving over the three outings. The first session on August 5, 2026, focused on two bond lines totaling 20 billion CFA francs (around 36 million USD) sought. The two-year bond, with a 6.0% yield, attracted only 7.3 billion CFA francs (approximately 13 million USD) in demand,…

From August 11 to 12, 2026, the US Embassy in Yaoundé brought together experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the AFRICOM Counter Drug Element – the antidrug unit of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) – and Counter Threat Finance, alongside officials from the Cameroonian Ministry of Defense. Washington claims to want to strengthen joint efforts to combat financial crime, transnational criminal networks, and violent extremist organizations in the digital age. The embassy justifies this initiative by the rapid evolution of threats: “As cryptocurrencies and digital finance evolve, so do the tactics of those…

At the end of June 2026, the Central African Republic had a cash surplus of 8.37 billion CFA francs (approximately 15 million USD), representing 29.98% of the annual target set at 27.92 billion CFA francs (nearly 50 million USD). This seemingly positive result hides a significant budget overrun that the Central African Ministry of Finance...

The President of Cameroon, Paul Biya, left Yaoundé on June 7, 2026 for what the civil cabinet’s statement presented as “a short private stay.” This has ultimately turned into a prolonged absence of 66 days to date. For over two months, the silence surrounding this situation continues to fuel speculations in Yaoundé, but also in...

As of the end of June 2026, Cameroon has a public debt stock of XAF 15.607 trillion (approximately USD 27 billion), according to the latest monthly public debt report published on July 27, 2026 by the Autonomous Amortization Fund (CAA). Following this information, Cameroonian economic analyst Louis-Marie Kakdeu published an article entitled “Cameroon’s survival depends on the conclusion of a new program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)”. For the man who is also a politician, second vice-president of the Social Democratic Front (SDF), an opposition political party, “the country remains classified as at high risk of external over-indebtedness by…

On August 6, 2026 in Cairo, Egypt, the Chadian Minister of Finance, Tahir Hamid Nguilin, and the President of the African Import-Export Bank (Afreximbank), George Elombi, signed a financing agreement of 72 billion CFA francs (nearly 125 million USD). According to the parties, “these funds are intended to support projects included in the Chadian state budget in infrastructure and the development of trade”. The Chadian government has not yet revealed the exact nature of the beneficiary projects, let alone their implementation schedule. The official statement following the ceremony on August 6, 2026 is not specific on this matter. It only…

Rwanda is studying a system that would allow households, businesses, and institutions equipped with solar panels to sell their surplus electricity to the national grid. The announcement was made on July 30, 2026, by Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva. He was responding to parliamentary concerns about the 11 administrative cells in the country still without electricity....

In a circular letter related to the preparation of the 2027 budget bill, signed on July 31, 2026 by President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, the Chadian government plans to ban live cattle exports starting from January 1, 2028, in favor of processed meat exports. This government decision has financial implications beyond its anecdotal nature. Indeed, at the provincial level, authorities estimated that the loss related to the export of live animals to neighboring countries amounted to over 400 billion CFA francs (nearly 692 million USD) per year, due to insufficient local processing. However, according to data from the Central African…

On the first half of 2026, the volume of trade between China and the six states (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Chad) of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) is estimated at 5,925.9 billion CFA francs (around $10.2 billion USD). This performance, made public by the Chinese customs, leads to a net surplus of nearly $2 billion USD thanks to the oil exports from Congo, Gabon, Chad, and Equatorial Guinea. In this context, Cameroon is the only country in the region with a deficit vis-à-vis Beijing. This reflects the fragility of a model where…

According to the monthly public debt situation report from the Caisse autonome d’amortissement (CAA) published on July 27, 2026, Cameroon is preparing an environmental (Environment, Social and Governance (ESG)) bond issuance of approximately 400 billion CFA francs (approximately USD 692 million). This bond will be structured with the support of Matha Capital, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Trade & Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI), and the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC). This arrangement is intended to reassure a demanding base of international investors on governance. This operation comes as Paul Biya, 93, has not been seen in public since leaving…

to the monthly public debt update released by the Autonomous Amortization Fund (CAA) on July 27, 2026, as of the end of June 2026, out of the 845.2 billion CFA francs (nearly 1.5 billion USD) representing the outstanding external loans contracted by the State and then retroceded to eleven public enterprises and establishments, 672.3 billion CFA francs (approximately 1.16 billion USD), or nearly 80% of the total amount, are held by Cameroon Telecommunications (CAMTEL), Cameroon Water Utilities Corporation (CAMWATER), the National Electricity Transport Company (SONATREL), and Electricity Development Corporation (EDC). This funding is allocated to 43 projects, focused on telecommunications,…

The Central African States Central Bank (BEAC) has validated the framework to harmonize payments through a QR Code in the six economies (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Chad) of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEAMC). This decision reflects CEMAC’s desire to take a new step in modernizing its...

The plundering of the forests of the Congo Basin is no longer just an ecological tragedy. It has become one of the most lucrative criminal industries in the world. This observation recently brought together in Bertoua, the capital of the East region, more than a dozen civil society organizations (CSOs) around the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), to share and adopt a common strategy for protecting CSOs engaged in the fight against environmental crime, as indicated by this non-governmental organization (NGO) specializing in nature conservation. The numbers justify the urgency. According to Interpol, environmental crime rose to the third…

“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…

During the first half of 2026, the Cameroonian economy was marked by two signals of public policy that structured the national economic situation. The Autonomous Amortization Fund (CAA), which mentions it in its monthly public debt situation report as of the end of June 2026, recalls “the Budget Orientation Debate (DOB), which set the budgetary course for the 2027-2029 triennium, and the holding of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC)”. In this regard, the DOB outlined a roadmap focused on four priorities. These are “the conclusion of a new program with the International Monetary…

As of June 30, 2026, Cameroon’s public debt stood at 15,607 billion CFA francs (nearly 27 billion dollars). This information was made public by the Autonomous Amortization Fund (CAA) in its monthly report on public debt in Cameroon, dated July 27, 2026. According to this document, this level of indebtedness represents 44.2% of the country’s...

Between January and June 2026, the Cameroonian state raised 800.7 billion CFA francs (around 1.4 billion dollars) on the domestic market, according to the Monthly Public Debt Outlook published on July 27, 2026 by the Autonomous Amortization Fund (CAA), the body responsible for managing Cameroon’s public debt. However, this amount is much lower than the...

In the mining dispute between the State of Cameroon and Sundance Resources regarding the exploitation of the iron ore deposit at Mbalam-Nabeba, an arbitral tribunal of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris, France, has ordered the country to pay nearly 350 billion CFA francs (over 600 million USD) to the Australian junior mining company. This information was revealed in a press release published on its website on July 24, 2026 by Burford Capital Limited (Burford), an international asset management and financial services company specializing in law. In 2021, Sundance Resources and Burford…

The Autonomous Amortization Fund (CAA), the historical manager of Cameroon’s public debt, has initiated an accreditation process with the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the financial mechanism of the United Nations (UN) attached to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This process aims to make the CAA “the national entity authorized to mobilize and...

“Wave will have succeeded if Cameroonians use their money with simplicity, transparency on costs, and reliability” One year after its launch in Cameroon, in partnership with Commercial Bank Cameroon (CBC), Wave claims a clear ambition: not just to open accounts, but to fundamentally change how Cameroonians use their money. In a market that already accounts for 65.1% of the volume and nearly 57% of the value of payment transactions in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), the Senegalese operator, with 150,000 active agents and 25 million monthly users in 11 African countries, relies on simplicity, cost transparency, and…