Cameroon’s Customs administration has exceeded FCFA 200 million in revenue collection from its new electronic taxation mechanism targeting imported mobile phones, tablets and other digital devices.
The milestone was disclosed during the weekly management committee meeting of the Directorate General of Customs (DGD) held on Monday, May 11. Customs officials said the new mechanism, introduced to strengthen the collection of duties and taxes on imported digital terminals, had generated more than FCFA 200 million in customs revenue during the previous week, which ended May 8, 2026.
The system, operational since April 1, 2026, requires importers and authorised customs brokers to declare phones, tablets and other connected devices through the Cameroon Customs Information System, known as CAMCIS. Devices are identified through their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers before being authorised for use on local telecom networks.
The reform was introduced after customs authorities reported a sharp decline in revenues from imported mobile devices. According to the Directorate General of Customs, monthly revenue from the sector had dropped from nearly FCFA 2 billion in the 2000s to around FCFA 100 million in 2025 because of smuggling, under-declaration and informal import channels. Authorities estimate the new mechanism could increase annual revenue collection on digital device imports to FCFA 25 billion, compared with about FCFA 1.3 billion previously collected.
Data released by Customs in late April showed that 51,819 phones had already been declared between April 1 and April 25 under the new clearance mechanism. Earlier figures indicated that 29,000 phones had been registered within the first 17 days of implementation. The Ministry of Finance also announced in April that approximately 700,000 newly connected devices had bypassed customs procedures within less than four weeks of the reform’s rollout, prompting intensified enforcement measures.
Under the current framework, imported phones and digital terminals that are not properly declared risk being blocked from local telecom networks. While some importers complain of increased costs, customs officials say the reform does not introduce new taxes but rather leverages digital tools to enforce and collect existing duties.
The revenue push comes as the Directorate General of Customs prepares to hold discussions with the IMF beginning Tuesday, May 12, on Cameroon’s revenue mobilisation performance at the end of 2025 and projections for 2026. Customs services have also been instructed to intensify monitoring of the country’s top 50 revenue-generating imported products and strengthen anti-smuggling operations during the May holiday period, which includes the Ascension Day on May 14.
Mercy Fosoh
