At presentation of research findings: Observatory flags irregularities, urges stronger governance at Douala, Kribi ports.

The findings were unveiled during a regional restitution and consultation workshop held in Douala on February 12. The meeting brought together representatives of port authorities, customs administrations, transport unions, licensed customs brokers, regional institutions and development partners.

The studies were conducted by the Regional Observatory of Abnormal Practices, known by its French acronym OPA, under the Programme to Support Governance of Regional and National Infrastructures. 

The programme is financed by the European Union and hosted by the Sub-Regional Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics, ISSEA.

Presenting the results, the Director General of ISSEA and OPA Project Lead, Dr Marcel Opoumba, said the studies identified procedural, organisational and behavioural practices that continue to affect port performance.

“These practices have a direct impact on delays, operational costs, the competitiveness of port platforms and, ultimately, the business climate,” he said.

Dr Opoumba stressed that the exercise was not intended to stigmatise institutions but to identify concrete and pragmatic solutions.

OPA officials stated that the reports are intended to serve as decision-support tools to inform reforms and action plans aimed at reducing unjustified delays, illegal controls, informal payments and corruption along regional corridors. 

Participants at the event also underscored the need for a harmonised action plan for the ports of Douala and Kribi, supported by clear performance indicators and sustained public-private dialogue.

EU, CEMAC recommit to port governance

A European Union, EU representative, Alexandre Baron, who participated via video conference, explained that despite significant investments in road and port infrastructure, corridor performance remains constrained by informal payments, administrative unpredictability and governance weaknesses.

“Sustainable corridor development goes beyond physical infrastructure,” he said, emphasising the need for institutional reform, simplified procedures, digitalisation and a firm fight against corruption, in line with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy.

Speaking on behalf of the CEMAC Commission, Resident Representative, Pierre-Guillaume Boum Bissa, described OPA as a strategic instrument for strengthening regional integration, particularly for landlocked countries such as Chad and the Central African Republic.

He disclosed that several OPA recommendations have already inspired community-level initiatives, including the creation of mixed control brigades and plans for a regional transport observatory.

Research background 

OPA was mandated to identify, document and publish irregular and illicit practices along key Central African transport corridors, notably Douala-Bangui, Douala-N’Djamena and Yaounde-Libreville, with the objective of facilitating trade and the free movement of goods.

According to the Observatory, earlier activities focused mainly on transit checkpoints along corridors, including Yassa. However, officials said institutional and private-sector actors recommended that monitoring be extended into port enclosures, which serve as the starting point of logistics chains.

In response, a first survey was conducted in 2024 within the Douala Port Authority following authorisation from its Director General, Cyrus Ngo’o. 

The study examined the efficiency of transit, import, customs clearance and cargo removal procedures, with particular attention to abnormal practices, costs, delays and truck dwell time within the port.

Building on those results and seeking to harmonise analysis at regional level, Dr Opoumba, acting as OPA Project Lead, obtained authorisation to conduct a similar survey at the Kribi Port Authority. 

Fieldwork at Kribi was carried out between August and September 2025. During the same period, an updated survey was conducted at the Douala port to assess changes and measure the effects of corrective measures already introduced.

Research scope

The studies assessed the effectiveness of procedures for transit, import, customs clearance and cargo removal. They identified abnormal practices, analysed port passage costs and delays, and measured truck dwell time within port enclosures.

They also evaluated the institutional performance of key actors, including Customs, the Single Window for Foreign Trade, GUCE, port authorities and terminal operators, while capturing the perceptions of licensed customs brokers.

Methodologically, the surveys combined quantitative tools, including questionnaires, cargo and truck tracking sheets, and analysis of costs and delays, with qualitative interviews and direct operational observation. It included escorted monitoring of trucks from port exit to the issuance of transit documentation.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3708 of Thursday February 19, 2026