The decision by the General Directorate of Customs (DGD) to ask mobile phone operators to suspend undeclared devices marks a new step in the fight against customs fraud in Cameroon.
Behind this measure with major economic and social implications, the administration aims to secure tax revenues while reorganizing a market long dominated by the informal sector.
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The Cameroonian mobile phone market is entering a turbulent phase. In a recent statement, the General Directorate of Customs (DGD) officially requested mobile phone operators to suspend the activity of phones imported without prior customs declaration. This measure comes in a context of tightening control over imported digital equipment and risks disrupting the consumption habits of millions of users.
At the heart of this operation is the identification of devices via their IMEI number, the true digital identity card of each mobile device. From now on, consumers are invited to verify the customs status of their phones on the dedicated platform before any purchase. The stated objective of the authorities is clear: to put an end to the massive circulation of phones fraudulently introduced into the national territory.
For several years, the customs administration has deplored significant revenue losses related to smuggling and under-declaration of mobile devices. In a country where the smartphone has become an indispensable daily tool for money transfers, online commerce, banking services, and access to administrative services, the volume of phone imports is steadily increasing. But a large part of these devices still escapes the official tax circuit.
To correct this situation, Cameroonian customs have implemented a system for categorizing imported phones and devices. Eight categories have thus been defined according to the characteristics and administrative value of the devices. The principle adopted is a global rate for the liquidation of duties and taxes set at 33.33% of the reference value assigned to each category.
Specifically, a phone classified in the first category, with an administrative value of 5,000 FCFA, bears about 1,670 FCFA in customs duties. At the other end, an eighth-category device, administratively valued at 400,000 FCFA, generates nearly 135,000 FCFA in taxation.
Between the two extremes, amounts vary progressively: 3,350 FCFA for second-category devices, 6,670 FCFA for third-category ones, up to 66,660 FCFA for seventh-category phones. The administration specifies, however, that these values do not correspond to the actual purchase price of the devices on the international or local market. They are rather reference values used as a basis for calculating customs duties.
This clarification is far from trivial. Since the announcement of the system, many misunderstandings have circulated among consumers and merchants, some believing that the State directly imposes a tax representing one-third of the real price of the purchased phone. Customs, on the contrary, claim to have revised the administrative values “downward by four to seven times” to take into account the purchasing power of Cameroonian consumers.
The economic stake of this reform is considerable. For the State, it is first about broadening the tax base in a sector where the informal dominates largely. The mobile phone market represents several hundred billion FCFA each year, fueled by imports mainly from Asia, the Middle East, and some African commercial hubs. Yet, a significant share of these devices enters Cameroon without proper declaration, thus depriving the public treasury of substantial resources.
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The announced suspension of undeclared phones therefore aims to establish a deterrent mechanism. By involving mobile phone operators in IMEI control, the administration hopes to make the marketing of fraudulent phones economically risky. An unregistered device could thus lose access to the mobile network, greatly reducing its usage value.
But this strategy also raises questions about its social and commercial consequences. In the major markets of Douala, Yaoundé, or Bamenda, a significant share of phones is sold by merchants operating in semi-informal circuits. Many fear a price increase linked to the customs regularization of stocks.
Consumers, for their part, mainly fear being penalized for irregularities for which they are not always responsible. In practice, few buyers currently demand proof of customs clearance before purchasing a phone. The determining criterion often remains the lowest price. With the new measure, habits could change quickly.
Sector specialists nevertheless believe that this reform could also promote a gradual professionalization of the market. Formal distributors, often confronted with unfair competition from clandestine importers, could benefit from a more balanced commercial environment. Ultimately, the State also hopes to improve the traceability of digital equipment circulating on the territory, an important issue in terms of cybersecurity and combating fencing.
There remains the sensitive question of the effective application of the system. In several African countries that have attempted similar IMEI control mechanisms, results have been mixed. Some experiences faced social resistance, technical difficulties, or accusations of excessive fiscal pressure on consumers.
In Cameroon, the authorities seem to want to avoid a sudden break. The DGD is multiplying information campaigns and insists on the necessity for buyers to systematically verify the customs status of devices before any transaction. The digital portal made available allows entering the phone’s IMEI number to confirm its compliance.
Beyond the fiscal issue, this operation mainly reveals the State’s growing desire to better control the digital economy. After the sectors of gaming, electronic transfers, and mobile money, the device market is becoming a lever for securing public revenues.
For consumers as well as merchants, a new reality now imposes itself: the mobile phone is no longer just a common technological consumer product. It also becomes an object of fiscal traceability.
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