Author: benberga@yahoo.fr

“It’s really ‘putting your foot in it’.” On April 15, 2026, a few hours after his arrival in Cameroon for a four-day visit, Pope Leon XIV called on Cameroonian authorities to “dare to examine their conscience”. But above all, the sovereign pontiff invites them to “break the chains of corruption”. The successor of the Apostle Peter, on whom Christ had founded his church, expressed himself at the Unity Palace (the name of the presidential palace in Cameroon) in front of the head of state, Paul Biya, who had just welcomed him in a speech and the accredited diplomatic corps in…

In an external audit report conducted at the National Social Security Institute (INSESO) of Equatorial Guinea, the Deloitte firm reveals, for 2025, “financial irregularities of considerable magnitude”. They concern in particular over 7 billion CFA francs (nearly 13 million USD) of alleged irregular or misappropriated expenses, triggering an official government investigation. The information was made...

President Paul Biya promulgated a major constitutional revision on April 14, 2026, introducing the position of Vice President of the Republic into the executive architecture of Cameroon. The introduction of the position of Vice President of the Republic in Cameroon represents a major institutional shift whose implications go beyond the strictly political sphere. In an African environment marked by often sensitive transitions, this reform could positively influence the perception of country risk and, by extension, economic attractiveness. It also signals predictability for investors. For international investors, institutional stability remains a central determinant of capital allocation decisions. “The clarity of succession…

According to the economic outlook for the fourth quarter published by the General Directorate of Economy and Fiscal Policy (DEPF), by the end of 2025, the Gabonese private sector had captured nearly 80% of the loans granted by commercial banks operating in the country. This evolution confirms its role as the main driver of bank...

In its latest macroeconomic assessments, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warns about the growing impact of the state takeover of Eneo Cameroon S.A. on the sustainability of public finances, in a context of increased fiscal constraints. The Bretton Woods institution considers that “this renationalization is now emerging as a factor of budgetary vulnerability.” Since the privatization of the electricity sector in the early 2000s, Eneo has operated in a structurally imbalanced environment characterized by tariffs below the actual production costs, low collection performance, accumulated arrears, and increasing dependence on subsidies. These weaknesses were then transferred to the state due to…

According to data published by the General Directorate of Economy and Fiscal Policy (DEPF), national manganese production recorded a 2.5% decline over the entire year. This downward trend has been observed continuously for three years. In terms of volume, Gabonese manganese production is expected to reach around 9.1 million tonnes in 2025, compared to 9.4 million tonnes in 2024. According to the DEPF, this decrease is mainly due to persistent logistical difficulties, in a context where the ore transportation chain remains a critical factor for the extractive sector, a pillar of the country’s export revenue. Despite this unfavorable annual trend,…

The Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) is facing an unprecedented concentration of public debt on its regional securities market. According to data published by the Central African States Bank (BEAC), Gabon, Cameroon, and Congo together account for nearly 80% of the total outstanding public securities issued in the sub-region, with 30.5%, 29.5%,...

In Cameroon, LNG export revenues have decreased from 381 billion XAF (around 680 million USD) in 2024 to 350.2 billion XAF (around 625.5 million USD) in 2025. This represents an 8.1% annual decrease. This information is revealed by the National Institute of Statistics (INS) in its latest report on foreign trade. According to these data, there has been a downward trend in LNG export revenues since 2022. Thus, according to the INS, in four years, revenues went from 622 billion XAF (around 1.1 billion USD) in 2022 to 421 billion XAF (nearly 751 million USD) in 2023, then to 381…

According to the report on foreign trade released on April 1, 2026 by the National Institute of Statistics (INS), the trade deficit increased from 1,747.3 billion CFA francs (about 3.1 billion USD) in 2024 to 2,145.2 billion CFA francs (about 3.8 billion USD) in 2025. This represents a difference of nearly 398 billion CFA francs (about 710 million USD), with an annual increase of 22.8%. This increase in Cameroon’s trade deficit is due to a decrease in exports coupled with an increase in imports. Importations remain heavy Indeed, during the period under review, imports increased by 4.6% to reach 5,229.2…

The total capital wealth of Gabon is estimated at nearly 60,000 billion CFA francs (approximately 104.5 billion USD) in 2020. This estimate comes from the report “Changing Wealth of Nations 2024” (CWON) published by the World Bank. Over twenty-five years, between 1995 and 2020, the country’s wealth has grown by 35%, reflecting real economic potential, but still underexploited. According to the Bretton Woods institution, this wealth is mainly based on natural capital, representing 57.3% of the total, followed by human capital at 33.7%. In contrast, financial and entrepreneurial capital remains marginal. The report highlights that the formal productive fabric remains…

Faced with the persistent magnitude of unrecovered public debts and increasing pressure on public finances, the Debt Recovery Company (SRC) wants to scale up. The Cameroonian public enterprise responsible for returning resources owed to the State and its branches now intends to rely on international cooperation mechanisms to do so. Specifically, on the new “Silver Notice” developed by the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO) or Interpol, to identify and recover assets hidden abroad by debtors or economic criminals. This strategic shift comes in a context of strengthening the fight against money laundering and redefining the role of the SRC. Long…

Cameroon has just reached a major institutional milestone. Meeting in Congress on April 4, 2026, Parliament adopted a constitutional reform establishing a vice-presidential position, fundamentally changing the executive architecture. Presented as a tool for stability and continuity of the State, this political innovation is not without economic and financial consequences, in a context marked by strong cash flow tensions and reinforced budget discipline. According to Cameroonian economist Marc Ombé, “a vice president is an important lever in improving the quality of institutions in a country given his role in supervising certain departments and strategic projects. His role in good governance…

In 2026, and under the impetus of budgetary reforms initiated with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Cameroonian government plans to almost completely eliminate fuel subsidies. This measure is part of the 2025/2026 budget law. It aims to sustainably clean up public finances and free up margins to finance investments considered more productive. Long considered as a social buffer against the volatility of international oil prices, fuel subsidies have weighed heavily on the state budget. By 2022, their cost had reached nearly 700 billion CFA francs (approximately 1.23 billion USD). This amount exerted significant pressure on public cash flow. Since…

On a debt of 15 billion XAF (about 26.4 million USD) owed to the Turkish company Karpowership, the Gabonese State disbursed an advance of 7 billion XAF (about 12.3 million USD) on March 19, 2026. According to Gabonese media, this advance was transferred under the threat of a widespread electricity cut in Libreville. The transfer...

A week after proposing a liquidity offer of 350 billion XAF (around 613 million USD) to commercial banks operating in the six countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Chad) of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) increased this offer by 50 billion XAF (nearly 88 million USD) on March 24, 2026. It now stands at 400 billion XAF (around 700 million USD). This corresponds to the demand expressed by credit institutions during the liquidity offer on March 17, 2026. Certainly aware of its inability to meet…

In the dispute between the State of Cameroon and the Australian junior mining company Sundance Resources regarding the iron project of Mbalam-Nabeba, located between Cameroon and Congo, the International Court of Arbitration of the Paris Chamber of Commerce has postponed its deliberation to the end of 2026. For this third postponement, after those scheduled for...

In Gabon, the Presidential Task Force on domestic debt has approved 726.33 billion CFA francs (nearly 1.3 billion USD) of moratorium debts. Upon analysis, this decision marks a major turning point in the country’s public finance management. Faced with persistent demands from economic partners, this operation is a response to a budget transparency requirement. It...

According to a press release published on March 6, 2026 on its website, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced the end of one of its missions in Gabon. The international financial institution reported that after a 10-day visit dedicated to examining the economic and financial situation in Gabon, the mission led by Aliona Cebotari prescribed “continuing the ongoing reforms aimed at improving public financial management, good governance, the business climate, and the fight against corruption.” The IMF mission emphasized “the crucial importance of implementing prudent budgetary and financial policies to preserve macroeconomic stability in Gabon and the region.” On the…

In Cameroon, in 2025, the government has accumulated more than 200 days to pay suppliers’ invoices, after 120 days in 2023 and 160 days in 2024. The information was revealed on February 6, 2026 in Yaoundé by the Treasury Department at the Ministry of Finance (Minfi) during a coordination meeting of central and decentralized services of this ministerial department. Minfi justifies these deadline extensions by “a desynchronization between commitments and cash availability.” Furthermore, the Treasury Department of Minfi indicates, “in addition to the extension of payment deadlines, it is observed that disbursements are concentrated at the end of the fiscal…

In 2024, the 390 microfinance institutions (MFIs) operating in Cameroon granted 659.4 billion CFA francs (approximately USD 1.2 billion) in credit to economic agents, according to data from the Central African Banking Commission (COBAC). This volume is up by about 41 billion CFA francs (nearly USD 75 million) on an annual basis and represents 57.6% of the microfinance credit market in all countries of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC). According to an official list released by the Ministry of Finance (Minfi) on December 31, 2025, 385 MFIs were authorized to operate in Cameroon in 2026. Although…

The Douala Autonomous Port (PAD) is preparing to reach a strategic milestone with the launch, announced for March 2026, of construction works for its 300 MW autonomous power plant at the Douala-Bonabéri port. Estimated at 628 billion CFA francs (nearly 1.15 billion USD), this structuring project aims to sustainably secure the energy supply for port activities, while creating excess capacity for the Douala city grid. Embedded in the PAD’s development master plan, the investment serves a dual economic imperative. Firstly, it aims to enhance the reliability of the logistics chain. Secondly, the top management aims to strengthen the attractiveness of…

Since February 7, 2026, a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), signed in Abu Dhabi, links Gabon and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This agreement will increase the volume of trade between the two countries to 176.2 billion CFA francs (320 million USD) in the coming years. The agreement, concluded between Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Emirati Minister of Foreign Trade, and Thierry Minko, Gabonese Minister of Economy, is part of a dynamic of strengthened economic rapprochement between the two countries. For Libreville, the objective goes beyond simply increasing trade volume. In a context where the Gabonese economy remains heavily…

On February 5, 2026, the President of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) Commission decided to temporarily suspend all activities of the institution due to a lack of funds. Upon analysis, this decision goes beyond mere administrative matters. It reveals a structural financial crisis with cascading effects on the governance, credibility, and...

As a pillar of Cameroonian foreign trade and the main logistics hub of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), the Port of Douala is going through an institutional crisis whose repercussions go beyond a simple contractual dispute. The conflict over the management of goods scanning, involving port authorities, central administrations, and private operators,...

According to official data, in 2024, remittances from the Cameroonian diaspora exceeded 652 billion CFA francs (approximately 1.2 billion USD), representing about 8.4% of Cameroon’s 2025 revised budget of 7,735.9 billion CFA francs (approximately 14 billion USD). These flows constitute a stable, recurring financial resource that is largely underutilized by the Cameroonian government. “If the...

Financial economist Dr. Marc Onana Ombé, CEO of the Credit and Strategy Firm in Douala, shares his analysis of diaspora bonds, a new fundraising instrument for Cameroon to transform the savings of its diaspora into a development lever. Interview conducted by Bernard BANGDA What are the main advantages for Cameroon in creating a diaspora bond compared to conventional loans? A diaspora bond has a major advantage in its low recovery cost compared to traditional international financial markets. Indeed, since its implementation by China in 1930, diaspora bonds have reduced debt costs related to low interest rates and the patriotic momentum…

The hypothesis of a new postponement of legislative and municipal elections in Cameroon not only sparks political debates. It also fuels strong economic concerns in a country already weakened by the aftermath of the October 2025 presidential election. For investors, the combination of a slipping electoral calendar, a tense political climate, and a perceived hesitant...

In financial circles of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), experts believe that “the assumption of a new economic program supported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) repositions Gabon’s budgetary credibility at the center of the country’s macro-financial issues in 2026”. And for good reason, they explain, “without an official formal request...

In Congo, new bank loans reached 265.9 billion CFA francs (approximately 484.4 million USD) in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of nearly 47% year-on-year. This dynamic comes in a context of borrowing rates around 9.7%, among the most competitive within the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC). According to the...

On January 21, 2026, BWA Group PLC, a British mining investment company, announced the discovery of gold in Aracari, a locality located about sixty kilometers north of Ngaoundéré, in the Adamaoua region. This discovery marks a turning point for Cameroon’s mining economy. This announcement, resulting from a rigorous prospecting campaign, validates the geological potential of...