Customs revenue: in Cameroon, the South II sector mobilizes 27.1 billion CFA francs in July 2024
In July 2024, Cameroon’s South II customs sector reported a remarkable mobilization of 27.1 billion CFA francs, surpassing its set target for the month. This achievement reflects the sector’s efficiency and the growing economic activities in the region, particularly around the Kribi deep seaport. The South II sector, which includes the bustling port of Kribi, has become a significant contributor to the nation’s customs revenue, ranking second nationwide after the Littoral I sector that covers the port of Douala.
The performance of the South II sector is not an isolated event but part of a broader strategy by the Directorate General of Customs within the Ministry of Finance to enhance revenue collection across the country. With a national target of 1,079.9 billion CFA francs for the year 2024, the customs authorities have been focusing on key economic zones, including ports, to achieve a 10% increase from the previous year’s projections.
The success of the South II sector can be attributed to several factors, including the increase in containerized traffic at the Kribi deep seaport and the upturn in economic activities post the Covid-19 pandemic. The port’s strategic location and state-of-the-art facilities have attracted more business, leading to a tenfold increase in customs revenue over four years.
This financial upswing is a testament to the resilience and potential of Cameroon’s economy. It also highlights the importance of efficient customs operations and infrastructure development in fostering economic growth. The South II sector’s performance serves as an encouraging sign of the country’s fiscal health and its ability to mobilize resources for development.
As Cameroon continues to navigate the global economic landscape, the role of customs revenue in national development remains crucial. The South II sector’s achievement is a beacon of progress, signalling the country’s commitment to maximizing its economic capabilities and ensuring sustainable growth for the future.
In Cameroon, the South Customs II sector, the second largest source of customs revenue after Littoral I, ended July 2024 with a collection of 27.1 billion CFA francs. According to the General Directorate of Customs (DGD), this figure constitutes a new record set since the commercial commissioning of the Port of Kribi (PAK) on March 2, 2018, after 26.1 billion was recorded in May 2024. This performance is slightly higher than the 26.9 billion CFA francs expected from the South Customs II sector in July.
The DGD attributes this improvement to the strong growth of certain goods compared to the same period in 2023: “cotton sewing threads, not packaged for retail sale (+3,943.24%), second-hand clothing (+560.82%), new rubber tyres (316.68%), passenger cars (+272.90%) and non-pulverized cement known as “clinkers” (+252.02%”, indicates the information bulletin of the institution headed by Edwin Fongod Nuvaga.
The same source reveals that three main products contributed to this record recorded by the South II customs sector during July with a total value of 5.1 billion CFA francs, or 19% of the revenue collected. These are crude petroleum oils or bituminous minerals (3.1 billion CFA francs), second-hand clothing (1.1 billion CFA francs) and ceramic paving or covering tiles and slabs (0.8 billion CFA francs). Furthermore, the General Directorate of Customs reports that the main office of the Hors Classe Customs of Kribi Port I brought in the revenue of the South II sector last month with a contribution of 21.8 billion CFA francs. It was followed by the South II Transfer Office with 3.3 billion CFA francs.
Let us recall that the Amending Finance Law of Cameroon revised the customs revenue targets for the 2024 financial year to 1,094.6 billion CFA francs after initial forecasts of 1,079.9 billion CFA francs. It should be noted that out of the 250 billion CFA francs hoped for in the first quarter of the year, only 215 billion were obtained, a shortfall of 35 billion CFA francs.
