Cameroon’s government says roughly 200 companies are illegally operating in the country’s artisanal and semi-mechanized gold sector, mainly in the East and Adamaoua regions, as authorities intensify efforts to regain control of a largely informal industry.
According to Mines Minister ad interim Fuh Calistus Gentry, more than 95% of the operators identified during a recent field mission are foreign companies.
In an official statement released on May 13, 2026, the minister ordered all operators without valid mining permits — or those that have failed to comply with their legal obligations — to immediately stop activities and dismantle their gold-processing facilities.
The statement warns that companies failing to comply will face forced dismantling operations carried out by administrative authorities with support from security forces. The costs of those interventions would then be charged to the operators, in addition to possible legal action.
A broader effort to clean up the sector
The latest warning is part of a wider government campaign to tighten oversight of Cameroon’s gold industry.
Following a meeting on January 21, 2026, involving the Ministry of Mines, the National Mining Corporation (Sonamines), and industry operators, the government had already given companies 15 days to pay environmental rehabilitation guarantees and sign compliance agreements required under the country’s mining regulations.
After the deadline expired, the ministry announced on February 9 that mining licenses would be withdrawn starting February 20 for operators that failed to meet the administrative and environmental requirements introduced under Cameroon’s new mining code adopted in December 2023.
Gold exports reveal a major gap
The crackdown also comes against the backdrop of growing concerns over informal gold exports.
According to Cameroon’s 2023 EITI report, customs data showed that the country officially exported only 22.3 kilograms of gold that year.
But trade figures from the United Arab Emirates — the main destination for Cameroonian gold exports — tell a very different story. UAE data indicates that 15.2 tons of gold from Cameroon entered the country over the same period.
The gap has fueled concerns over smuggling, undeclared production, and revenue losses for the Cameroonian state.
Through the ongoing crackdown, authorities say they are trying to improve transparency around actual gold production volumes while gaining better control over distribution channels and associated tax revenues.
BRM
