Cameroon enters era of industrial mining, restructuring artisanal sector.

The resumption of activities is contingent upon strict compliance with these conditions. The era of fraudulent gold mining in Cameroon is over. The Interim Minister of Mines, Industry, and Technological Development has just ordered a complete halt to gold mining activities throughout the country through a crackdown operation led by the Inspector General of MINMIDT, Magistrate Philippe Nyetam. 

From March 22 to 29, 2026, the joint mission comprising MINMIDT, administrative authorities, and defence forces visited several districts in the East Region. 

The objective was to verify the cessation of semi-mechanized mining activities following the revocation of permits and the implementation of the minimum production threshold. 

On the ground, the mission’s objectives were clear: the effective cessation of operations at sites subject to the revocation of semi-mechanized permits, commitment to the minimum production threshold (10 kg per month), removal of machinery from mining sites, signing of specifications in accordance with regulations, and raising awareness regarding payment of the site rehabilitation bond (3 million per hectare)—a prerequisite for the reinstatement of the permit.

Fraudulent sites located in the districts of Garoua Boulaii, Ngoura, Bétaré-Oya, Batouri, and Kette have all been ordered to immediately cease all mining operations and remove their equipment from said sites. 

In total, more than a hundred sites were visited, and dozens of dump trucks, excavators, bulldozers, and loaders were sealed on site. 

The instructions are clear: strict compliance with these measures, which aim to restructure the sector not only to control production, increase reserves, and boost state revenues, but also to combat illegal mining, which causes significant losses to the Cameroonian economy. 

This initial phase, known as the field assessment, enabled the government, through the Ministry of Mines, Industry, and Technological Development, to conduct a realistic assessment of the situation on the ground and to engage with sector operators to present these new reforms, which are governed by current regulations. 

It is in this spirit that this week was marked by verification and awareness-raising meetings, chaired by the Inspector General of MINMIDT, and officials from the same ministry, accompanied by numerous regional authorities, including the Mayor of Batouri, the Regional Mining Delegate for the East, the Divisional Mining Delegate for Kadey, and numerous mining operators in general. 

On Friday, March 27, a consultation and summary meeting regarding the various activities concluded the mission in the city of Batouri, with the aim of raising awareness among operators of semi-mechanized mining sites about the conditions for resuming work at the mining sites.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3753 of Tuesday April 07, 2026