Author: benberga@yahoo.fr

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…

It is a historic milestone that the public securities market of the Central African States Bank (BEAC) has just crossed. Fifteen years after its launch, the outstanding amount of sovereign issuances now exceeds 10,000 billion CFA francs (approximately 17.23 billion USD). This amount confirms the growing importance of the financial market of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) and its increasing role in financing the economies of the sub-region. Upon analysis, this progression illustrates the deepening of the regional capital market. It also reflects the confidence of investors in the sovereign ratings of the CEMAC states, in…

The Cameroonian industrial group Prometal, specialized in metallurgy and metalworking in Central Africa and located in the industrial zone of Douala-Bassa, finds itself at the center of a new issue in the electrical sector. Following authorization granted by the Cameroonian government for direct supply from the Electricity Development Corporation (EDC), Prometal will be able to...

ENI, the Italian oil company, has expressed interest in exploring block EG-27, one of Equatorial Guinea’s largest gas fields. The information was made public by Equatorial Guinea’s Information and Press Office, through its website, which reports on the discussions held during the meeting between the Vice President of the Republic, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, and...

According to data published by the Central African States Bank (BEAC), between March 2025 and March 2026, Cameroon has used its public securities market to raise 1,300.2 billion CFA francs (about USD 2.2 billion) to finance its budgetary needs. These operations were carried out through the issuance of Assimilable Treasury Bills (BTA) for short-term financing,...

Three years after its operationalization, the Caisse des dépôts et consignations (CDEC) claims to have centralized more than 151 billion CFA francs (over 260 million USD) in resources. These figures, which confirm the growing importance of this institution in the Cameroonian financial landscape, were revealed by the Director General (DG), Richard Evina Obam. They illustrate the expansion of CDEC’s activities. During the period under review, as reported by the Director General on July 7, 2026, “more than 22,000 operations had been processed, including more than 17,000 deposits covering judicial, administrative, bail, sequestration, and unclaimed assets funds.” These activities fall within…

According to figures recently revealed by the Chamber of Accounts of the Supreme Court of Cameroon, between 2020 and 2025, the State injected 749.3 billion CFA francs (approximately $1.3 billion USD) into 26 public companies in the form of subsidies. The level of this budgetary support raises questions as the performance of this sector falls short of government expectations. However, this is not due to a lack of direction in the use of these funds. Indeed, as learned from the presentation by the Chamber of Accounts, in addition to ensuring the continuity of public services, this funding aims to preserve…

In the first quarter of 2026, the states of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) mobilized 6,764.7 billion XAF (nearly USD 12 billion) on the public securities market of the Central African States Bank (BEAC). This represents an increase of 1,064.8 billion XAF (approximately USD 1.9 billion), or 18.7%, compared to the 5,699.9 billion XAF (nearly USD 10 billion) raised in the first quarter of 2025. These figures, revealed by the recent BEAC monetary policy report, reflect the dynamics observed in the regional Treasury securities market over the past four years. The common issuing institute of the…

In 2027, oil revenues included in the State budget will continue the downward trend that has been ongoing for about five years. However, according to the Cameroonian Minister of Finance (Minfi), this will mark the end of this decline. Indeed, Louis Paul Motaze reveals that from 2028 onwards, and at least until 2029, these revenues will begin to increase by 3.7%. The Cameroonian government member bases these forecasts on the Medium-Term Economic and Budgetary Programming Document 2027-2029, which he presented to the Finance Committees of the National Assembly and the Senate during the parliamentary session of June-July 2026. This document…

Based on its reference scenario, built on a barrel at USD 87.2, the Central Bank of Central African States (BEAC) projects a 25% increase in its reserves by the end of 2026. This would bring them to 7,962.3 billion CFA francs (nearly USD 13.9 billion). This level of performance is expected to cover 4.72 months...

In its 2025-2027 Strategic Plan, the General Directorate of Taxes (DGI) of Gabon aims to increase its revenues from 1,002.2 billion CFA francs (nearly 1.75 billion USD) in 2023 to 1,349.7 billion CFA francs (approximately 2.25 billion USD) in 2027. This represents a projected increase of 347.5 billion CFA francs (nearly 606 million USD). This envisioned performance aims to support the increasing financing needs of the state while reducing its dependence on oil revenues. The Gabonese tax authority also aims for a 20% increase in non-oil revenues by 2027, signaling a desire to diversify sources of budgetary income. Unlike a…

For the 2027 budget year, the Cameroonian government intends to allocate 5,057.4 billion XAF (nearly 9 billion USD) to service its public debt and pay arrears for the years 2028 and 2029. This information is contained in the Medium-Term Economic and Budgetary Programming Document covering the period 2027-2029. On average, the State will commit 2,528.7...

According to the financing plan outlined in the Medium-Term Economic and Budgetary Programming Document (DPEB) for 2027-2029, the Cameroonian public treasury intends to raise 1,000 billion CFA francs (around 1.75 billion USD) on international markets for the 2027 fiscal year. This operation comes just one year after a previous similar loan, which is still ongoing...

The French Development Agency (AFD) has invested around €949.6 million in the implementation of 51 projects in Central Africa as of December 31, 2025. This represents nearly 30% of the total envelope, estimated at €3.2 billion, of AFD group investments during this period. Specifically, €875.8 million was provided by AFD, €61.8 million by Proparco, and...

According to figures revealed by the Chamber of Accounts in June 2026, and recently relayed by Professor Viviane Ondoua Biwole in her study report on the expired mandates of public enterprise leaders in Cameroon, out of a total volume of 1.911 billion CFA francs (approximately 3.33 billion USD) of state subsidies to these structures in 2024, only 55.75 billion CFA francs (approximately 97.04 million USD) were subject to effective control. This represents a coverage rate of 2.92%, a particularly low level compared to financial governance standards. This sheds a harsh light on the state of execution and control of Cameroonian…

On July 3, 2026 in Yaoundé, the governor of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), Yvon Sana Bangui, received a high-level delegation from the Chinese technological group, Huawei. This delegation was led by Fernando Liu, president of Huawei Digital Finance’s “Central Bank” division. The meeting between the two parties takes place in the context...

Cameroonian businessman Baba Ahmadou Danpullo is preparing to invest around 500 billion CFA francs (approximately 873 million USD) to launch a private airline called Danpullo Air Line. This amount represents about 92% of his fortune estimated at 547 billion CFA francs (approximately 955 million USD) by Forbes Africa. According to information from the announcement of...

In a press release issued on June 30, 2026, the Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development (Minmidt), Fuh Calistus Gentry, officially revoked 53 gold exploration permits for “non-compliance with the Mining Code”. “This decision marks a key step in taking back control of a sector long characterized by opaque practices,” said a Minmidt official. It is part of a broader strategy to clean up and restore the state’s authority over mineral resources. According to the Minister’s document, “many permit holders have exceeded their legal framework.” Especially in terms of exploration and evaluation of a gold deposit. Indeed, Fuh Calistus…

On July 1, 2026, Prometal Gabon, a subsidiary of the Cameroonian conglomerate Prometal Group based in Douala, officially launched the construction of a 38 billion CFA francs (nearly 66.3 million USD) steel plant in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of Nkok, in Libreville. This industrial investment marks a major step in structuring the steel industry within the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC). This initiative is part of the strategy for local transformation of raw materials and reducing dependence on imports of steel products, a key issue for the economies of the sub-region. Located in Gabon, this new industrial…

To rebuild and modernize the infrastructure of the National Refining Company (Sonara) destroyed by a fire on May 31, 2019, the Cameroonian government has approved a budget estimated at 700 billion CFA francs (around 1.2 billion USD). Initially, only rehabilitation works were estimated at 250 billion CFA francs (around 435 million USD). The announcement was...

Since 1999, Camrail’s cumulative contribution to the Cameroonian economy is estimated at 750 billion CFA francs, or approximately $1.25 billion. The information was made public by the Managing Director of the Cameroonian railway concessionaire, Pierre Ngon, during a press dinner organized on June 22, 2026 in Douala. Camrail is a subsidiary of the MSC group...

The Cameroonian government intends to implement, starting in January 2027, a three-year action plan to restructure the local wheat sector, with a total estimated amount of 30.9 billion CFA francs (approximately 53.8 million USD). The announcement was made following a workshop held on June 24, 2026 in Yaoundé. This meeting brought together stakeholders in the sector around the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (Minader), Gabriel Mbaïrobé. According to these stakeholders, this restructuring plan is based on three pillars. Namely “the production of certified seeds, support for wheat producers, and the establishment of storage, processing, and marketing infrastructure”. For Minader…

From June 15 to 19, 2026, a joint military and civilian mission invested the gold mining site of Punga, in the Ngounié province, putting an end to a large-scale semi-industrial clandestine operation. The operation, named Ekura, resulted in 55 arrests and the seizure of revealing logistical arsenal. The paradox is striking. The Punga site is...

On June 18, 2026 in Yaoundé, during the Promote Trade Fair, the governor of the Central African States Bank (BEAC), Yvon Sana Bangui, revealed that “in the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), four out of five companies, or 80%, operate outside official registers, without certified accounting, without auditable balance sheets”. In this...

The signal is strong. Ten years after selling its onshore assets and leaving the country, the British oil company Shell has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Gabonese government to evaluate several blocks in deep waters. The document was signed by Thomas Praeger, head of exploration and new opportunities at Shell, and Clotaire Kondja,...

In a note published on June 22, 2026, the American rating agency Fitch Ratings confirms that “commercial banks operating in the countries of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) are able to absorb the turbulence related to the conflict between the United States and Iran.” It assesses the impact on their credit...

In Gabon, the pressure exerted by conflicts between wildlife and agribusiness has reached a critical level. In Makouké, a locality in Moyen-Ogooué near Lambaréné, the local subsidiary of Olam Palm is now considering a partial or even total closure of its oil palm production site. The repeated incursions of elephants into the industrial plantations are to blame. According to the Singaporean trading and brokerage company, “almost 5,000 hectares of palm groves have been destroyed by the pachyderms, compromising the site’s profitability and forcing a significant reduction in activities.” This situation poses a serious economic and social threat to Makouké. A…

To revive the Bekoko-Limbe-Idenau road project, the Cameroonian government intends to invest 113 billion CFA francs (approximately $197 million). This strategic infrastructure, covering about 107 kilometers (km), aims to modernize a key axis between the Littoral and the Southwest regions. Its revival is part of the rehabilitation of National Road No. 3, essential for economic exchanges. To accelerate the technical and financial studies of this project, on June 19, 2026, in Yaoundé, the State of Cameroon, through the Minister of Public Works, Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the British company PROPAV Infrastructure Ltd, represented by…

During a multisectoral meeting held on June 19, 2026 at the Malabo Palace, Equatorial Guinean Vice President Nguema Obiang Mangue temporarily suspended 519 maintenance contracts of service providers to public entities. This decision follows the reading of the report by Prime Minister Manuel Osa Nsue on the matter. The report reveals “failures of the General Directorate of maintenance and upkeep services of buildings owned by the State.” The Vice President of the Republic notably points out “the lack of control over companies providing services to state institutions.” According to the report analyzing 519 maintenance lines, “233 lines were evaluated as…

e 2025 financial year, the profit of the Banco Nacional de Guinea Equatorial (Bange Bank) reached nearly 5 billion CFA francs (around 8.7 million USD), an increase of about 10% year-on-year. This result confirms the resilience of Equatorial Guinea’s leading public bank in a still constrained regional environment. This growth comes in a context marked...