- (Business in Cameroon) – The Trade Ministry launches nationwide discount sales from 18 November 2025 to 10 January 2026.
- Officials target price speculation triggered by post-election tensions and supply disruptions.
- Consumer complaints report price hikes of 10–25% in major supermarkets and steep increases in meat and onion prices.
The Ministry of Trade will launch year-end promotional sales on November 18 to counter price speculation on essential goods following post-election tensions. The operation will take place along Boulevard du 20-Mai in Yaoundé until January 10, 2026. The ministry will expand the initiative to all regions, including remote areas, through mobile caravans, according to a statement signed on November 17 by Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana.
The announcement comes as Cameroon deals with supply chain disruptions triggered by disputes over the October 12 presidential election results. These tensions have encouraged speculative pricing in markets and supermarkets. In a letter sent on October 30 to supermarket operators, the minister condemned sharp price hikes. “It has been brought to my attention, confirmed by several consumers who are among your regular customers, that you have taken advantage of the post-electoral context to impose abusive and unjustified increases on products displayed on your shelves,” he wrote.
Consumer complaints indicate sudden increases of 10% to 25% in some supermarkets in Douala and Yaoundé on vegetable oils, pasta, rice, sugar and canned goods. In Yaoundé’s open markets, the price of beef rose to CFA5,000 per kilogram, up from the usual 3,000 to CFA3,500. Onion prices also surged, particularly as the northern regions — the main production zones — experienced heightened contestation.
Trade Ministry control brigades intervened across markets to curb the speculative practices. The gradual return to calm over the past week has reinforced these efforts and helped restore more stable pricing. The promotional sales now aim to secure supply levels and stabilize consumer prices ahead of the peak shopping season during Christmas and New Year.
The promotional sales serve as a short-term tool to limit speculation by increasing supply visibility and anchoring price expectations. Their impact will depend on logistics efficiency, stock availability, coordination with distributors and sustained monitoring by control brigades to prevent arbitrage and resale on informal markets.
This article was initially published in French by BRM
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
