Cameroon’s Directorate General of Customs (DGD) has collected more than 600 million CFA francs in duties and taxes on imported mobile phones and digital terminals since launching an electronic enforcement mechanism on April 1, 2026.

The amount exceeds by more than 33 times the 18 million CFA francs collected from the sector over the same period during the previous 15 years, according to figures released by the customs authority.

The latest total marks a sharp increase from the 200 million CFA francs reported for the week ending May 8, 2026, a figure presented during the DGD’s weekly management committee meeting held in Yaounde on May 11.

The mechanism was introduced to strengthen the collection of existing customs duties on imported mobile devices and improve revenue mobilisation through digital monitoring of imports. Customs officials say the reform does not introduce new taxes but digitises the collection of existing duties, a transition they describe as a shift from physical to digital borders.

The system requires importers and authorised customs brokers to declare mobile phones, tablets and other connected devices through the Cameroon Customs Information System (CAMCIS) using each device’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number.

Customs data previously showed that more than 51,800 devices had been declared during the first weeks of implementation, following the registration of around 29,000 devices within the programme’s first 17 days.

Authorities introduced the reform after reporting a sustained decline in customs revenue from imported digital devices. Customs estimates indicate that receipts from the sector fell from nearly 2 billion CFA francs per month in the 2000s to around 100 million CFA francs in 2025, mainly due to smuggling, under-declaration and informal import channels.

Officials estimate that annual collections could eventually reach 25 billion CFA francs, compared with approximately 1.3 billion CFA francs generated previously.

Customs authorities said collaboration between public institutions and private-sector stakeholders involved in the implementation of the mechanism remains ongoing. Surveillance measures against fraud and contraband have been maintained, while awareness campaigns continue to target importers, retailers and consumers.

Traders are being encouraged to regularise their inventories, while consumers are advised to verify the customs status of devices through official customs platforms before making purchases.

Source: Business in Cameroon