Cameroon: Phone Customs Reform Revenue Surges 4x

• Cameroon collected over CFA1.8 billion in mobile phone customs duties and taxes from April to early September 2026, a fourfold increase from the previous year.
• This revenue surge is due to a new customs clearance system for digital devices, launched on April 1, generating an average of CFA360 million monthly.
• The reform mandates IMEI registration for each imported device within the CAMCIS system, allowing authorities to verify proper customs clearance.
• Since April 1, approximately 386,000 phones have been declared under the new system, according to DGD data.
• As of September 1, devices not properly regularized can be blocked, posing significant compliance risks for importers and sellers.

Lawyers advising clients in the telecommunications and electronics sectors must emphasize strict adherence to the new customs clearance system, including the mandatory IMEI registration via CAMCIS, to mitigate the risk of penalties and device blocking.

Cameroon has experienced a significant boost in its revenue from imported mobile phones and other digital devices, collecting over CFA1.8 billion in customs duties and taxes between April 1 and early September 2026. This substantial increase represents more than four times the approximately CFA400 million gathered during the corresponding period in the previous year. The surge is directly attributed to the implementation of a new customs clearance system, which became operational on April 1.

This updated framework, designed to regulate the import of phones, tablets, and various digital devices, has proven highly effective in its initial five months. During this period, the system generated an average monthly revenue of about CFA360 million. Prior to the reform, the Directorate General of Customs (DGD) had estimated the annual revenue from these specific devices to be around CFA1.3 billion, highlighting the dramatic impact of the new regulations on the nation's coffers and demonstrating the potential of the Cameroon phone customs reform revenue.

A cornerstone of the new mobile phone import regulations Cameroon is the mandatory registration of each device's International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number within the CAMCIS customs system. This requirement applies to all imported digital devices, including mobile phones and tablets, ensuring a comprehensive oversight mechanism. The unique IMEI identifier enables authorities to verify whether any device connected to a Cameroonian mobile network has undergone proper customs clearance, thereby combating illicit imports and ensuring compliance with Cameroon customs duties phones.

According to data released by the DGD and reported by Cameroon Tribune on September 7, approximately 386,000 phones have been officially declared through this system since its launch on April 1. This figure underscores the widespread adoption and enforcement of the Cameroon IMEI registration customs process, which is central to the CAMCIS mobile device import procedures.

The customs reform entered a critical new phase on September 1, introducing stricter enforcement measures. Under these updated provisions, digital devices that have not been properly regularized through the new customs clearance system are now subject to blocking. This means that non-compliant devices connected to mobile networks within Cameroon can be rendered inoperable, creating significant implications for consumers and importers alike.

This escalation in enforcement highlights the substantial compliance exposure for businesses involved in the import or sale of mobile phones and other digital devices in Cameroon. Lawyers advising clients in the telecommunications and electronics sectors must emphasize strict adherence to the new customs clearance system, including the mandatory IMEI registration via CAMCIS, to mitigate the risk of penalties and device blocking. The Cameroon DGD digital device tax framework now carries direct and severe consequences for non-compliance.

Lawyers advising clients involved in the import or sale of mobile phones and digital devices in Cameroon must ensure strict compliance with the new customs clearance system, including IMEI registration via CAMCIS, to avoid penalties and device blocking. This reform presents significant compliance exposure for businesses in the telecommunications and electronics sectors.

Source: Original reporting via Cameroon Tribune