(Business in Cameroon) – By the end of March 2025, Cameroon had mobilized only 1,507 billion CFA francs in budget revenues, significantly below the projected 1,834 billion CFA francs. This 326 billion CFA franc shortfall is detailed in the official Medium-Term Economic and Budgetary Programming Document for 2026–2028. This document will serve as the foundation for the upcoming Budget Orientation Debate in Parliament. The revenue realization rate stood at 82%, a 54.5 billion CFA franc decrease compared to the same period in 2024.
The document attributes this underperformance to lower-than-expected domestic revenue and external resources, including loans and grants.
Regarding domestic revenue, which encompasses tax, customs, oil, and non-tax revenues, the government collected 1,186 billion CFA francs. This fell short of the 1,386 billion CFA franc target, resulting in a 200 billion CFA franc deficit.
External resources mobilized reached 321 billion CFA francs, compared to a target of 448 billion CFA francs. This also represents a failure to meet expectations.
This revenue gap comes as the government pursues an ambitious public investment agenda while striving to maintain debt sustainability. The discrepancy between planned objectives and actual resources could compel the executive to reassess its budgetary priorities in the coming months. Infrastructure projects, social policies, and security spending could be jeopardized if this trend continues.
With the Budget Orientation Debate approaching, the government will face pressure to realign revenue collection strategies, improve tax recovery, and diversify its financing sources, all while aiming to avoid unsustainable borrowing.
Written in French by Ludovic Amara,
Translated and adapted into English by Mouka Mezonlin
