(Business in Cameroon) – Informal imports from Equatorial Guinea to Cameroon rose 13.7% in 2024 to 10.4 billion CFA francs ($17.1 million), accounting for 3.9% of all unrecorded trade with neighboring countries, according to data from Cameroon’s National Institute of Statistics (INS).
The increase was driven mainly by malt beer, which made up 24.3% of informal imports and saw volumes jump 56.4% year-on-year. It was followed by mineral water (19.2% of the total), whose imports surged 181.9%, and non-cocoa confectionery, a new product category that already accounted for 13.4% of informal trade.
By contrast, spirits, especially whisky, declined, facing competition from dominant Nigerian imports. Fuel, typically a major item in cross-border informal trade, played only a minor role here, representing just 1.4% of Cameroon’s imports from Equatorial Guinea.
Exports and Diversification
Cameroon’s informal exports to Equatorial Guinea mainly consisted of manufactured and agri-food goods, led by footwear (11.9%, or 1.18 billion CFA francs) and cement (11.2%, or 1.12 billion CFA francs). Cement sales held steady, while footwear exports fell 42% year-on-year. Other key exports included plastic packaging (6.4%) and used clothing (3.3%).
Diversification is advancing but remains fragile. Informal exports of live animals (sheep and goats) surged 1,867%, while groundnut sales climbed 205%. These shifts show Cameroonian suppliers adapting to Equatorial Guinea’s food demand, though each category remains modest, worth under 0.5 billion CFA francs.
Most of these unrecorded goods move through the southern border region, the main trade route linking the two Central African countries.
Amina Malloum
