(Business in Cameroon) – Cameroon’s oil revenue declined by 12.4% in the first quarter of 2025, reaching CFA146.6 billion compared with CFA167.4 billion in the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Finance’s quarterly economic report. The shortfall amounts to CFA20.8 billion for the Treasury.
Royalties paid by the National Hydrocarbons Corporation (SNH) dropped 22.7% to CFA98.5 billion, while corporate income tax from oil companies rose 20.6% to CFA48.1 billion.
The downturn aligns with revised projections in the 2025 supplementary budget, which cut expected oil revenue from CFA734.8 billion to CFA641.5 billion. The decline mainly reflects lower earnings from crude oil sales by SNH, now estimated at CFA495.5 billion, down from CFA570.2 billion initially.
Production forecasts were reduced from 20.71 to 19.81 million barrels for oil and from 92 to 79.2 billion standard cubic feet for gas. The reference price per barrel was also adjusted downward to $66.94 from $72.84 to reflect weaker global markets and energy price volatility.
The fall underscores the shrinking role of oil in Cameroon’s public finances, as maturing fields and global uncertainty weigh on production and revenue. Authorities say the trend highlights the need to diversify income sources and strengthen non-oil sectors to stabilize fiscal performance.
