(Business in Cameroon) – On March 28, 2025, Cameroon renewed its agreement with Intertek, a British multinational specializing in assurance, inspection, and certification services. The deal, which is the third renewal since 2015, will continue for another three years.
The agreement covers the Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PECAE) program, which ensures that goods imported into Cameroon meet the country’s quality and safety standards. The program was first introduced in 2015 and has been executed by Intertek since then. The goal is to prevent the entry of substandard products into the local market, protecting the health and safety of consumers.
Under this program, specialized structures in exporting countries are certified to carry out compliance checks on goods before they are shipped to Cameroon. These inspections, funded by the exporters, are crucial because Cameroon lacks advanced laboratories for such inspections. The government asserts that the PECAE cost represents less than 1% of the total product cost, and this amount is typically included in the price the importer pays. As a result, the program does not create additional costs for consumers.
Originally limited to certain products, the PECAE was expanded in 2021 to cover all imported goods, which sparked criticism from the Groupement inter-patronal du Cameroun (Gicam), now known as Gecam. Gecam, the country’s main employers’ organization, views the expansion as an additional burden amid the ongoing inflation crisis that began in the second half of 2021.
Intertek, with its expertise in inspection and certification, guarantees the accuracy of compliance declarations made in certificates of conformity. However, the responsibility for the products still lies with the supplier and importer once they enter the Cameroonian market.
