After weeks of tension, Cameroon’s Hydrocarbons Price Stabilization Fund (CSPH) and the Petroleum Professionals Group (GPP) have resumed discussions over the allocation of fuel import quotas. A recent meeting between the two sides helped defuse, at least temporarily, a standoff that had threatened the stability of supply to the domestic market.
According to information obtained by Business in Cameroon, the CSPH has taken a principle decision to allocate import slots to GPP members for the period from January to December. The move is intended to restore calm by reintegrating long-standing distributors into the fuel import framework.
The decision has yet to be formally validated at the institutional level. A source close to the GPP said it should be seen as a transitional measure aimed at easing tensions and creating conditions for negotiations toward a more lasting agreement on the allocation of import quotas.
Dispute rooted in import quota allocation
The dispute intensified after the GPP, which includes TotalEnergies, Tradex, Neptune Oil, Ola Energy, Gulfcam, and Corlay Cameroun, announced that from November 1, 2025, its members were considering no longer purchasing products from importers outside the group. The statement was widely seen as an ultimatum reflecting persistent dissatisfaction over access rules to fuel imports.
In a letter dated October 2, 2025, addressed to CSPH Director General Okie Johnson Ndoh, who also chairs the ad hoc committee on petroleum product imports, the GPP, led by Antoine Ndzengue, denounced what it described as the exclusion of its members from import activities. The group specifically criticized so-called “opportunistic importers,” accused of capturing a growing share of volumes despite having a limited presence in the local market.
Major distributors sidelined from imports
Documents reviewed by Business in Cameroon show that GPP members were completely excluded from gasoline imports during the last five months of 2025. Over the same period, they accounted for only 3.62% of imported diesel volumes, even though they control 73% of the gasoline market and 78% of the diesel market. The group considers this imbalance difficult to justify given its dominant role in distribution.
The GPP said the data clearly demonstrate the sidelining of its members from Cameroon’s petroleum supply operations. It argued that the situation favors new importers with limited local footprints, whom it accuses of slowing distribution and occupying storage infrastructure over extended periods.
The historical distributors, which claim about 75% of the national market and operate close to 600 service stations, say they are facing unequal treatment. They warn that the gap between their market share in distribution and their limited access to import quotas poses risks to the smooth flow and security of fuel supply.
Supply risks prompt return to talks
Against this backdrop, a return to negotiations appeared unavoidable. An oil sector analyst had warned that without a review of the quota system, the supply chain risked becoming choked, with prolonged deadlock likely to disrupt fuel availability and trigger knock-on effects across transport, businesses, and broader economic activity.
The easing of tensions following the recent discussions is therefore seen as a stabilizing factor, especially ahead of the festive season, when any disruption to fuel supply would be particularly difficult to manage. The key challenge now is whether the parties can turn this initial understanding into a durable quota allocation mechanism that balances the weight of established distributors with the entry of new importers within a regulated and predictable framework.
Amina Malloum
