Mining sector enters new phase as major projects commence production.

The position of government was made public July 15, 2026. This was during a joint press conference which the Minister of Communication, Rene Emmanuel Sadi, and the Interim Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Prof Fuh Calistus Gentry, granted in Yaounde.

Prof Fuh Calisuts during the outing unveiled ongoing reforms in the mining sector that will see the State generate over 1,000 billion FCFA annual revenue in the short term, well above the current contribution of the oil sector.

Prof Fuh Calistus and Minister Rene Sadi said reforms introduced by government already place Cameroon on the same path as other leading gold producers in Africa like Ghana, South Africa and Mali.

They stated that the goal is to ensure that the country takes its place as a major gold producer on the continent. They also spoke about growth and transformation projections for the years ahead. 

Projects shaping new era 

According to the Interim mines boss, the year 2025 was historic year for Cameroon as the country moved from an era of extractive inertia to an industrial mining country. 

This, he said, was through the commissioning of key projects. He mentioned among others; the Bipindi Grand-Zambi iron ore mining project in the South Region. He said it has an annual output of two million (2,000,000) tonnes of marketable iron ore concentrate.

He added that exports have commenced and the company in charge has begun processing the iron ore concentrate into iron billets at the Fifinda plant in the South Region to supply the local market.

The Interim Mines Minister added the Kribi-Lobe iron ore mining project still in the South Region. He said it has an annual production of 4,000,000 tonnes of marketable iron ore concentrate. Prof Fuh Calistus noted that the first exports are due to commence in 2027.

Another major project, that has taken Cameroon into a new mining era, is the Minim-Martap bauxite mining project, Adamawa Region. The Interim Mines minister said it has a target output of 5,000,000 tonnes of high-grade bauxite and 2,400,000 tonnes of alumina per year.

He reminded actors that the first locomotives for transportation of ore had already arrived in Douala. The next consignment, he stated, is due to arrive in August.

Still in the list of projects that the minister said have taken Cameroon to the league of major mining nations, is the Bidzar marble mining project in Figuil, Mayo-Louti Division of the North Region. Prof Fuh Calistus said it is guaranteeing an annual production rate of six 668,000 tonnes of limestone.

He added that exports have commenced and the company has begun processing the iron ore concentrate into iron billets at the Fifinda plant in the South Region to supply the local market.

With this five mining projects that have commenced production, the interim mines boss declared that under the enlightened leadership of the Head of State, Cameroon is in a new global position when it comes to mining.

Prof Fuh Calistus declared that “…the claims often made by certain experts and politicians that other minerals apart from gold are being plundered are automatically refuted and can be characterised as a lack of understanding of the subject and bad faith”.

With these mining projects entering the production phase, he declared that government plans, throughout 2026, to advance several other major projects. 

He mentioned the Mbalam, Nkout and Ngovayang iron ore projects which cut across the South and East Regions alongside the Mborguene and Bibemi industrial gold mining projects in the East and North regions respectively.

Major financial gains 

Government is set to derive a lot of immediate benefits from these large-scale projects. The Mines minister counted the direct gains such as duties and taxes, production-sharing arrangements, and the State’s 10% free-carried equity interest held through National Mining Corporation (SONAMINES), ordinary corporate taxes, and revenue from the use of State-owned logistics infrastructure, as well as creation of direct and indirect jobs.

“In the short term, the revenue expected from these major projects, together with a restructured gold sector, can be conservatively projected at more than 1,000 billion FCFA per year, well above the current contribution of the oil sector,” Prof Fuh Calistus stated.

Also, the minister affirmed that the planned exploitation of rare earth elements and critical minerals in three regions of South, East and Adamawa, could enable the state double the above-mentioned annual contribution of the solid minerals sector to 2,000 billion FCFA for the public treasury in the medium and long term.

Restructuring gold sector

Prof Fuh Calistus expressed government commitment to ongoing restructuring process of the mining sector. 

In this regard, he outlined the respective roles and involvement in the gold value chain of state institutions like SONAMINES, Customs, Taxation, MINMIDT, Defence and Security Forces, as well as the National Permanent Secretariat of the Kimberley Process (SNPPK). 

“When collecting the State's share, SONAMINES simultaneously collects the export tax at source directly at the mining sites and initiates the export procedure. It performs this collection function jointly with the General Directorate of Taxation…Customs ensures that the volumes exported strictly correspond to the quantities previously certified by SONAMINES and co-signed by MINMIDT,” he said.

He further explained that: “The SNPPK provides cross-cutting international traceability for precious substances, ensuring that Cameroon's label remains clean and compliant with global requirements…The security forces secure mining sites, protect inspection officers against attacks, combat the infiltration of cross-border criminal networks, and provide assistance in enforcing the closure of illegal sites…”.

The member of government insisted that Mining regulation in the country is being implemented through a rigorous institutional chain in which each State actor performs a clearly defined, sovereign and complementary role, in order to guarantee the traceability of physical and financial flows.

Role of institutions in gold value chain

Besides clearly defining the role of each state institutions in the gold value chain, a number of measures, he said, are currently be implemented to help clean up and restructure the sector. 

The measures, he said include the introduction of a minimum production threshold of 2 tonnes to more than 15 tonnes per year for semi-mechanised operations.

He added to it;  the identification, dismantling of equipment and closure of illegal mining sites; the initiation of legal proceedings against operators of illegal sites; withdrawal of semi-mechanised mining permits that do not comply with legal and tax requirements as well as the cancelation of exploration permits that contributed to illegal semi-mechanised activities. 

According to Cameroon's current tax legislation, particularly Sections 25(1) and 116 of the Mining Code and the 2024 Finance Law, SONAMINES is responsible for collecting composite tax (25%) and export tax (5%) at the production site for the semi-mechanised sector. 

However, Minister Fuh Calistus regretted that operators take advantage of the self-assessment tax system by declaring figures that are far lower than actual gold collected, representing barely 10% of actual production.

“The proposed restructuring therefore seeks to control production and collect all amounts due to the State, so that regardless of who exports the gold, the State will already have recovered all the sums due to it, representing approximately 30% of total production,” he added.

It was also announced that, the Government intends to initiate the recruitment of an independent expert who will determine the expected production of each site, on the basis of which the amounts due will be assessed.

Denies loss of gold for Cameroon

It was revealed during the presser that Cameroon currently holds approximately 1,500kg of gold reserves lodged with the Ministry of Finance. 

Minister Fuh Calistus elucidated that it is only if part of these reserves were to go missing could one speak of a loss of gold for Cameroon. 

“The discrepancy between declarations and exports identified by the EITI does not constitute a loss of gold; rather, it represents a significant loss of revenue from export taxes and the composite tax. This is why MINMIDT is implementing the minimum production threshold to address under-declaration,” he clarified.

He further announced the commencement on August 1, of reassessment measures by a planned joint Customs, Taxation and SONAMINES field operations. 

These operations, he stated, will enable the State to generate substantial revenue estimated at approximately 300 billion FCFA per year beginning this year.

In addition, Minister Rene Sadi reaffirmed government’s firm commitment to communicating openly and transparently on the far-reaching reforms currently being implemented in the mining sector. 

The government spokesperson said the presser was being organised at a decisive and historic moment in the development and responsible management of country’s mineral resources.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3853 of Monday July 20, 2026