Importers of mobile phones and other digital devices are attempting to bypass Cameroon’s new customs clearance system, in force since April 1, 2026. In a statement issued on April 27, Finance Minister Louis Paul Motazé said that between April 1 and April 25, about 700,000 new mobile phones connected for the first time to local networks without being cleared by customs.

In other words, while the Customs Directorate had asked importers to declare their existing stock before April 1 to facilitate clearance under the new system, some operators have instead placed these devices directly on the market without complying. The new mechanism is designed to automatically block network access for phones that have not been cleared.

“For this transition phase, the system has not systematically blocked these phones in order to allow continued awareness efforts. Importers and users are invited to regularize their customs status without penalty before April 30. After this deadline, all smuggled devices will be blocked without further notice,” the minister said.

The move highlights the stakes surrounding the new digital customs system for phones and other devices: increasing government revenue in a context of growing smuggling that has eroded collections.

According to customs data, monthly revenue from these devices has fallen from about CFA2 billion in the 2000s to just CFA100 million today. The ongoing reform aims to raise annual revenue to at least CFA25 billion, according to the Customs Directorate.

Source: Business in Cameroon