Cameroon suspends electronic cargo tracking note on key transit corridors

A significant development for regional trade operators has emerged: the National Shippers’ Council of Cameroon (CNCC) has provisionally halted the mandatory Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (BESC) requirement for goods moving along the vital Douala-N’Djamena and Douala-Bangui corridors. This pivotal decision, formally announced through a communiqué signed by Director General Auguste Mbappe Penda on June 15, 2026, impacts the entire logistical framework. It applies to shippers, customs brokers, freight forwarders, and transporters involved in the flow of goods destined for Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) via Cameroonian territory.

Introduced in 2006, the BESC system was designed to enhance merchandise traceability, provide objective transport cost data, and gather crucial commercial flow statistics. However, its compulsory application to simple transit cargo had progressively become a recurring point of contention. Chadian and Central African operators frequently voiced concerns over an increasing burden of formalities and associated costs encountered on the route to the port of Douala.

A key concession from the N’Djamena tripartite forum

The suspension of this cargo tracking note directly stems from the recommendations put forth during the 5th Chad-Cameroon-CAR tripartite forum. This crucial meeting, held in N’Djamena in May 2026, focused on streamlining transit operations along the trans-Cameroonian axis. Discussions at the forum brought to light the various technical and administrative impediments that were hindering the smooth movement of goods from Douala towards both N’Djamena and Bangui.

According to an official within the CNCC, quoted in the official communication, the identified dysfunctions were partly attributed to the still-deficient interconnection of information systems among the various shippers’ councils within the CEMAC zone. Paradoxically, a tool intended to simplify tracking had instead begun to complicate logistical operations. Consequently, the suspension addresses a dual imperative—both technical and political—while awaiting the necessary harmonization of regional digital platforms.

Authorities in Chad and the Central African Republic, who had been advocating for several years for reduced procedures in Douala, have welcomed this decision as a positive signal. It is important to note, however, that this measure does not affect the traceability mechanisms managed by Cameroonian customs administration, which remain fully operational for all transit cargo.

Safeguarding 410 billion fcfa in annual revenue

For Yaoundé, the stakes are far from symbolic. Cameroonian customs estimate that transit goods from Chad and the Central African Republic generate over 410 billion FCFA in annual revenue. This substantial income is directly tied to the port of Douala, which serves as the primary maritime gateway for the landlocked Central African and bordering Sahelian hinterlands. Any decline in the competitiveness of this vital corridor exposes Cameroon to the tangible risk of a gradual diversion of these crucial trade flows.

Indeed, this risk is palpable. For several years, N’Djamena has been exploring alternative logistical routes, including the Nigerian port of Lagos and transit axes through Sudan. Similarly, Bangui regularly evaluates the option of the Congolese corridor via Pointe-Noire. In this competitive landscape, every procedure perceived as superfluous fuels the discourse around diversifying access to the sea. The lifting of the BESC on transit flows, in this context, represents both a defensive maneuver and a significant act of facilitation.

Suspension alone may not suffice

While transporters and shippers across the sub-region commend this initiative, they also emphasize that substantial work remains. Persistent challenges, such as multiple controls along the Douala-N’Djamena axis, reported irregular practices at police and customs checkpoints, and prolonged port processing times, continue to heavily inflate logistical costs. Without addressing these deeply rooted structural irritants, the overall impact of this measure is likely to remain limited.

For Cameroonian authorities, the immediate challenge lies in effectively balancing documentary simplification with administrative discipline. The modernization of information systems, enhanced inter-service coordination, and a reduction in redundant controls will be critical factors determining the trans-Cameroonian corridor’s ability to maintain its position as the preferred option for Chadian and Central African freight. The BESC suspension marks merely the initial phase in a comprehensive reform agenda long anticipated by CEMAC operators. The measure is now in effect and will remain valid until further notice from the CNCC.