Cameroon strengthens gold sector transparency and traceability

On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, a significant working session took place at the Ministry of Commerce’s conference room. The meeting was primarily dedicated to the essential restructuring of Cameroon’s gold sector and the crucial enhancement of gold traceability throughout its value chain.

The proceedings were expertly led by Professor Fuh Calistus Gentry, the interim Minister of Mines, Industry, and Technological Development (MINMIDT). In attendance were numerous high-ranking administrative officials, including the Director General of Customs, the Director General of Taxes, the Director General of the Treasury, the Director General of SONAMINES, the Permanent Secretary of the SNPPK, and various other key representatives from MINMIDT.

Government’s judicial and economic offensive against gold trafficking

Central to the discussions were strategies for reinforcing gold traceability, streamlining the entire gold value chain, and fostering greater coordination among the diverse governmental bodies involved in overseeing the sector. Participants voiced that this concerted effort paves the way for a more robust collaboration between these institutions. The ultimate goals are clear: to improve the collection of fiscal revenues, rigorously combat informal gold circuits, and significantly boost the state’s income derived from gold exploitation.

This pivotal meeting unfolds amidst a backdrop of intensified initiatives by Cameroonian authorities. These efforts aim to better regulate the exploitation of mineral resources and ensure more transparent governance within the nation’s vital gold sector. It is worth noting that in response to extensive illicit extraction of its gold resources, the Cameroon government has launched a sweeping judicial and economic offensive designed to sanitize its gold industry.

Massive financial losses: 165 billion FCFA from illicit gold trade

This decisive action by Cameroon follows stark revelations from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). The EITI’s findings brought to light a colossal discrepancy: while official customs records indicated only 22 kg of gold exported, a staggering 15 tonnes of gold originating from Cameroon were declared upon arrival in the United Arab Emirates. This rampant gold smuggling operation has led to an estimated direct loss exceeding 2,000 billion FCFA over a five-year period, with a direct fiscal shortfall of 165 billion FCFA.