(Business in Cameroon) – In 2024, nine new companies operating in Cameroon received approval to benefit from the CEMAC preferential trade regime. This allows them to export 70 products without paying customs duties within the six-member community of Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, and the Central African Republic.
Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute shared this information on December 1, 2024, during his presentation of the government’s 2025 economic, financial, social, and cultural program to the National Assembly. While he did not disclose the names of the approved companies, the announcement adds to the existing list of 50 Cameroonian firms that had access to the preferential regime as of September 2020, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
To qualify for the CEMAC preferential trade regime, products must be made entirely from local raw materials or demonstrate a local added value of at least 40%. This initiative supports regional integration and serves as a stepping stone toward the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which provides access to a market of over 1.3 billion consumers.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, companies already approved under the CEMAC preferential trade regime will be prioritized for authorized exporter status within the AfCFTA.
