(Business in Cameroon) - In the current edition of our monthly magazine, we mistakenly asserted that the departure, in October 2015, of  Minette Libom Li Likeng from the “head of the national customs administration preceded a decline in customs revenue.”

Statistics from the customs administration reveals otherwise. Indeed, the figures show that over the 5 years between 2015 to 2019, these revenues have been in constant rise. From XAF678.1 billion in 2015, these revenues rose to XAF683.8 billion, XAF732.7 billion, XAF803.3 billion, and XAF840 billion respectively in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. This reveals an overall rise by XAF161.9 billion over the 5 years.

At the same time, the volume of fines and other revenues collected by the customs administration during litigations with economic operators rose by XAF5 billion. In 2015, this volume was XAF13.1 billion but rose to XAF18.2 billion in 2019.

The administration indicates that these performances are the result of a set of reforms "implemented beyond 2015." The payment of customs duties online, the elaboration of a single transit permit, the digitalization of customs procedures via the Cameroon Customs Information System (Camsis), and the acceleration of customs supervision through the Halcomi operations (Halte au commerce illicite-Stop Illicit Trades), as well as a systematic scanning of goods are some of the reforms implemented.  

Brice R. Mbodiam