2027 State Budget preparation: Operators tasked to balance rising expenditure with dwindling revenues.

He reminded stakeholders that the preparation of next year´s budget is in a difficult economic and financial context, where revenue mobilisation windows are performing poorly, and income receipts continue to hit below target. 

On the other hand, expenditure sources continue to increase, requiring more attention, and prompt response, with larger financial outlays.

He disclosed that analysis of the execution of the current budget, during the first quarter shows very low revenue mobilisation. Figures, he said, shows that only 1,331.4 billion FCFA, was actually raised as compared to 2,181 billion FCFA raised during the same period in 2025.

Diverse crises hindering revenue mobilisation

Motaze told journalists that the wars in the Middle East, that between Ukraine and Russia, added to sociopolitical crisis at home, continue to block both local and international revenues through which government funds are mobilised.

He said the same uncertain sociopolitical climate continues to drain public resources, as government struggles to hold everything in check so that things do not go out of hand. 

International donors, the minister said, continue to demand concrete results, for them to continue supporting government´s economic reform measures, while the hostile domestic climate also hinders smooth execution of projects in some target areas.

Presently, he added, government continues to pay subventions on petroleum products in an effort to reduce the burden of living on ordinary citizens. 

Despite the fact that the price of petroleum products had hiked in the international market, the government insists on carrying on with its humanistic and people welfare-oriented state management.

Between completing ongoing projects & launching new ones

Motaze urged his collaborators to reflect deeply and come up with a decision as to whether the government has to struggle to finish ongoing projects without launching new ones, or otherwise.

He, however, highlighted that donor partners want to see ongoing projects completed so that they create the impact on national growth and improve the living standards of Cameroonians that were envisaged when the projects were conceived. 

Participants, he urged, must reflect and take a final decision, so that such would scrupulously be implemented during the execution of the 2027 budget.

He lamented that the consequences of COVID-19 are still being felt on economic performance up till now. He urged participants to discuss along guidelines provided so that decisions taken actually make execution of next year´s budget create the required impact on the living conditions of the population.

The Minister insisted that the revenue base must be expanded, if government must raise revenue to close the unending reduction of funding from external donors. 

The tax bases, he noted, must be enlarged, the import substitution policy given added accent, through the transformation of the agricultural sector, as it has potential of having a more positive impact on the majority of Cameroonians.

He also pledged government´s determination to continue pursuing the accelerated decentralisation process, given that it also has potential of transforming grassroots communities, reviving rural economies and preparing them to take active part in invigorating national growth, as the nation moves towards emergence. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3862 of Wednesday July 29, 2026