Online commerce platforms in Cameroon posted an 18% increase in revenue in 2024 compared with a year earlier, according to a midterm review of the National Development Strategy 2020–2030 (SND20-30) published by the Ministry of the Economy.
The report also highlights capacity-building efforts. “E-commerce recorded significant growth, with 75 companies trained in 2024 (compared with 52 in 2022) and an 18% increase in revenue generated by online platforms,” the document states.
The momentum was supported by institutional backing from the Ministry of Trade and technical assistance from the Commonwealth Secretariat, which helped small and medium-sized enterprises better market and sell their products internationally, the report says. Growth is expected to accelerate as new players and payment solutions expand access to digital transactions and logistics.
MTN Cameroon, through its subsidiary Mobile Money Corporation (MMC), recently launched a virtual prepaid card designed for purchases on local and international platforms. Built on the expansion of Mobile Money services, the product targets millions of unbanked Cameroonians who have often been excluded from the e-commerce ecosystem.
Cameroon Postal Services (Campost) is also preparing a return to the market after a brief partnership with pan-African platform Jumia. During the presentation of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications’ budget to the National Assembly, Minister Minette Libom Li Likeng announced that a new online marketplace, Bolamba, will be launched in 2026 by the state-owned postal operator. To support the initiative, Campost plans to install two logistics hubs at Douala and Yaoundé airports, on land already allocated by the Cameroon Airports Company (ADC).
A growing tax base
With investment estimated between CFA2 billion and CFA3 billion, Campost aims to capture a significant share of a market that Statista projects at €811.09 million in 2025, or around CFA531 billion. The sector’s expansion has increased the government’s interest in taxing digital trade as part of efforts to broaden the tax base.
Over the past five years, authorities have gradually expanded levies on e-commerce. Since 2020, online sales of goods and services conducted in Cameroon through digital platforms, as well as related commissions, have been subject to value-added tax (VAT).
Customs duties on imported goods purchased online have been collected since 2023, in a bid to curb revenue losses linked to the growing dematerialization of economic transactions, according to the Ministry of Finance. Since 2024, a reduced 5% tax rate under the non-commercial profits regime has applied to income generated by individuals on digital platforms from sales, services or shared-economy activities.
The latest step took effect on Jan. 1, 2026: all online platforms generating business in Cameroon without a physical presence are now subject to corporate income tax at a minimum rate of 3% of locally generated revenue. Depending on activity levels, taxation may shift to the standard regime, with corporate tax set at 30% of net profit, according to the Directorate General of Taxes.
Brice R. Mbodiam
