Trade corridors in Central Africa: Stakeholders brainstorm on eliminating abnormal practices.

This was the focus of a meeting organised in Yaounde on Wednesday, March 11. It was under the Regional Observatory of Abnormal Practices on the Main Corridors of Central Africa, OPA-AC.

It brought together representatives of governments, regional institutions, and development partners. 

The Sub-regional Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics, ISSEA, handled the initiative under the aegis of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, CEMAC, with financial support from the European Union, EU.

The Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development in charge of Planning, Paul Tasong, chaired discussions. 

Results of surveys conducted at the ports of Douala and Kribi as well as along the Douala-N’Djamena and Douala-Bangui land corridors were reviewed. 

Minister Tasong commended the initiative and underscored the importance of the Observatory in identifying and addressing the root causes of inefficiencies.

He noted that the “study for the establishment of the observatory is an excellent idea”. 

Minister Tasong said “it provides a better approach to bringing concrete solutions to the daily problems encountered along our transit corridors”.

He said every stakeholder agrees that the competitiveness of the corridors is weakened by numerous abnormal practices. 

Tasong cited the multiplication of checkpoints, illicit payments, long waiting times, and other forms of harassment that slow the movement of goods and increase transportation costs.

Minister Tasong noted that solutions cannot be provided without a better understanding the situation. He praised the Observatory as a key instrument for evidence-based public decision-making. 

Through regular monitoring and analysis, he noted that decision-makers will be equipped with reliable data to implement reforms.

Trade corridors linking Douala and Kribi to Bangui, N’Djamena, Yaounde, and Libreville, he insisted, are critical for regional economic integration. 

Enter project coordinator 

The Project Manager of the OPA-AC and Director General of ISSEA, Marcel Opoumba, said since its establishment, surveys have already contributed to significant improvements.

“When we began our first surveys in 2021, we observed that the Yaounde–N’Djamena corridor, about 1,840 kilometers long had 104 stopping points,” he explained. 

Opoumba added that: “Among these were 77 checkpoints involving police, gendarmes, customs officers, and mixed control units”. 

He added that of the 77 checkpoints recorded at the time, 60 were located on the Cameroonian side and 10 in Chad. The controls, he noted, contributed to delays, increased costs, and inefficiencies along the route.

Following the publication of the findings, Dr Opoumba said authorities implemented corrective measures, including the creation of mixed brigades and unannounced inspections along the corridor. Dr Opoumba noted that results have improved. 

“By 2025, the number of stopping points had dropped from 104 to 79. Out of these, we now have 46 checkpoints, 40 in Cameroon and six in Chad,” he revealed. 

The surveys, he added, also highlighted the financial burden associated with the checkpoints. On some routes, drivers, he disclosed, are required to make unofficial payments during certain controls. 

Along the Yaounde-Bangui axis, Dr Opoumba said the cost of such payments averages around 2,000 FCFA per 100 kilometers.

On the Yaounde-Libreville corridor, he noted that transporters previously spent approximately 250,000 FCFA on every 100 kilometers. 

By 2025, the Coordinator stated that the figure had fallen to about 125,000 FCFA following reforms prompted by the Observatory’s findings.

Dr Opoumba attributed the improvements to the robust methodology used in the surveys, which involved stratified random sampling based on location and types of cargo transported.

The Observatory’s research scope, he went on, was later expanded to include surveys at the ports of Douala and Kribi. 

The extension, Dr Opoumba explained “…allowed us to identify what happens at the entry points of our trade corridors”. 

The findings, he added, revealed that abnormal practices remain widespread despite recent progress. These, he noted, include excessive checks, long border waiting times, illicit payments, poorly maintained vehicles, and unsatisfactory treatment of drivers.

Such practices, he remarked, significantly increase the cost of transport operations across CEMAC countries. The consequence, he noted, is felt through a rise in the price of imported goods with consumers bearing the burden.

Officials said with a population of 65 million FCFA, inter-community trade within CEMAC is still stalling at 3.5 percent.

EU reaffirms commitment to support initiative

The EU Chargé d’Affaires in Cameroon, Philippe Lafosse, expressed delight that the project is promoting economic integration and growth.

“The European Union is built on the principle of free movement of people and goods. Supporting this initiative helps facilitate movement and unlock economic growth in the region,” Lafosse explained.

The Observatory, he said, provides valuable data that can help policymakers identify barriers to trade and implement targeted solutions.

The article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3729 of Thursday March 12, 2026