(Business in Cameroon) – Cameroon’s tax revenue rose slightly in the first quarter of 2025, reaching CFA997.7 billion compared with CFA974.8 billion in the same period of 2024, according to the Ministry of Finance’s latest economic report. The 2.3% increase represents an additional CFA22.9 billion for the public treasury.
The ministry said the modest growth reflects resilience in domestic resource mobilization, despite lower oil income and ongoing efforts to strengthen internal revenue collection.
Mixed performance across fiscal segments
The overall rise masks variations among tax categories. Direct and indirect taxes declined by 4.8%, from CFA769.1 billion to CFA732.4 billion, a drop of CFA36.7 billion. Analysts attributed the fall to slower economic activity and persistent recovery challenges in some sectors.
However, customs duties and non-tax revenues helped offset part of the decline, supporting the overall fiscal performance.
Reforms to improve internal revenue
To maintain this trend through 2025, the government plans to expand digital tax services, strengthen audits, and widen the taxpayer base. These measures, part of the ongoing modernization of the tax administration, aim to improve collection efficiency and curb losses linked to fraud and tax evasion.
Despite slow growth in some industries, the upward trend supports the government’s goal of diversifying revenue sources and reducing reliance on oil by strengthening non-oil fiscal performance.
