Cameroon’s customs administration has ordered mobile network operators to block imported mobile phones, tablets and other digital devices that have not been registered and cleared through the country’s new electronic customs system.
The directive, signed by Fongod Edwin Nuvaga, director general of Cameroon Customs, will take effect on 25 May and applies to Camtel, MTN Cameroon and Orange Cameroun.
The move is aimed at curbing smuggling and tax evasion in Cameroon’s digital device market.
The measure enforces provisions of the country’s 2023 Finance Law, which introduced a digital clearance system requiring importers to declare devices through the Cameroon Customs Information System.
Under the system, devices are verified through a centralised platform linking import records, device identification numbers and network activation data.
Each device is identified through its International Mobile Equipment Identity number before it is authorised to connect to local mobile networks.
Only devices that have cleared customs duties electronically, are operating in roaming mode, or qualify under a tax amnesty programme will be permitted access to networks. Telecoms operators could face penalties if undeclared or non-compliant devices are allowed onto their systems.
Early figures suggest the initiative is already increasing customs revenue. Statistics released by Cameroon’s Ministry of Finance in late April showed that more than 51,000 mobile devices had been declared through the platform, generating over 200 million CFA francs (about $354,000) in revenue.
Authorities estimate annual collections from the system could reach 25 billion CFA francs, up from the previous 1.3 billion CFA francs collected before the platform’s introduction.
However, customs officials say significant enforcement challenges remain. Data from the administration showed that between 1 April and 25 April 2026, nearly 700,000 new mobile phones connected to local networks without customs clearance, highlighting the scale of informal imports into the country.
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