By: African mining market

Cameroon’s Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) 2023 report once again highlights deep inconsistencies in the country’s gold sector. According to official customs data, only 22.3 kg of gold were exported in 2023. This figure contrasts sharply with international statistics, particularly from the United Arab Emirates, Cameroon’s main destination market, which reported imports of 15.2 tons of gold from the country over the same period. More than 90% of that volume is believed to have been shipped to the UAE.

In parallel, around one ton of gold from formal production and 30 kg of industrial gold do not appear in official export records. The EITI estimates potential fiscal losses at CFA165 billion, a major shortfall for the state, even as the gold sector is classified as strategic. These gaps are not new. In 2022, mirror data already showed 4.8 tons of gold imported by trading partners, compared with just 47,879 grams officially declared as exports by Cameroon.

Illicit trade documented over more than a decade

Illegal gold exports have been documented for years. A 2021 Interpol study on gold mining in Central Africa already pointed to major discrepancies between 

Cameroonian declarations and UAE import data. Between 2008 and 2018, UAE-reported gold imports from Cameroon reportedly rose from 0.3 to 11.7 tons, while Cameroon’s official exports never exceeded 32 kg per year.

In 2017, Cameroon declared exports of just 4 kg of gold to the UAE, while Emirati data showed 10.9 tons imported from the country. Public sources indicate that illegally exported gold is mainly transported by air, using commercial flights or private aircraft. In 2016, monthly losses for the state were estimated at CFA1 billion, or about US$1.8 million.

To curb these losses and improve sector governance, the EITI recommends setting up a joint Customs–Sonamines mechanism to trace all formal production and systematically integrate it into official statistics. The report also calls for stronger border controls through closer coordination between Customs, Sonamines, and security forces.

The EITI further recommends a dedicated study on artisanal gold mining to identify leakages, clarify institutional roles, and establish a reliable traceability framework for this segment, which is particularly exposed to illicit trade.

Sonamines strategy to formalise the gold sector

Aware of the stakes for sovereignty and public revenue, Sonamines launched what it describes as an ambitious strategy in 2025 to formalise and structure Cameroon’s entire gold sector and reduce illicit trade. The plan is built around three pillars. The first focuses on controlling purchasing and supply channels to limit the influence of informal networks and ensure national traceability. The second targets improved commercialisation through a secure digital platform and real-time transaction monitoring. The third pillar centers on developing market intelligence to negotiate contracts at more competitive prices.

According to Sonamines, the strategy should strengthen state oversight of the gold market and increase available financial resources. This ambition was echoed at the highest level by President Paul Biya in his 31st December 2024, address to the nation: “I am convinced that controlling the marketing channels of our minerals will increase the financial resources needed to carry out our development projects.”

Since becoming operational in 2021, Sonamines has already transferred 638 kg of gold to the state. This performance underscores its growing role as a central player in formalising and structuring Cameroon’s mining sector, as well as in combating fraud and smuggling at a time when statistical gaps and fiscal losses highlight the urgency of tighter oversight of the gold industry.