Cameroon eases transit for Chad and Central African Republic, suspends electronic cargo tracking

Regional operators have long awaited this significant development. The National Shippers’ Council of Cameroon (CNCC) has announced the provisional suspension of the Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (BESC) requirement for goods transiting along the vital Douala-N’Djamena and Douala-Bangui corridors. This decision, formalized in a communiqué signed by Director General Auguste Mbappe Penda on June 15, 2026, impacts the entire logistics chain, including shippers, customs brokers, freight forwarders, and transporters handling cargo destined for Chad and the Central African Republic via Cameroonian territory.

Introduced in 2006, the BESC system was designed to enhance merchandise traceability, provide objective transport cost data, and contribute to commercial flow statistics. However, its mandatory application to simple transit shipments had become a consistent point of contention for Chadian and Central African operators, who frequently cited an accumulation of bureaucratic procedures and escalating fees on the route to the port of Douala.

Concession reached at N’Djamena tripartite forum

The suspension of the tracking note directly stems from recommendations made during the 5th Chad-Cameroon-CAR tripartite forum, which convened in N’Djamena in May 2026. This crucial gathering, focused on streamlining transit along the Trans-Cameroonian axis, highlighted persistent technical and administrative hurdles that impeded the smooth flow of goods from Douala towards N’Djamena and Bangui.

According to an official within the CNCC, quoted in the official communication, these operational inefficiencies were partly attributable to the still-deficient interconnection of information systems among the various shippers’ councils within the CEMAC zone. Paradoxically, a tool intended for simplified monitoring ended up complicating logistics. Thus, the suspension addresses both technical and political imperatives, pending the necessary harmonization of regional IT platforms.

Chadian and Central African authorities, who had advocated for several years for reduced procedures at Douala, have welcomed the decision as a positive step. It is important to note, however, that this measure does not affect the traceability mechanisms managed by Cameroonian customs administration, which remain fully operational for transit cargo.

Protecting 410 billion FCFA in annual revenue

For Yaoundé, the stakes are far from symbolic. Cameroonian customs estimate that annual revenues generated by the transit of Chadian and Central African goods exceed 410 billion FCFA. This substantial income is directly tied to the port of Douala, which serves as the primary maritime gateway for the landlocked Sahelian and Central African hinterlands. Any reduction in the corridor’s competitiveness poses a tangible risk of gradual diversion of these crucial trade flows.

This risk is indeed present. N’Djamena has, for several years, been exploring alternative logistical routes, including through Nigeria’s port of Lagos or corridors traversing Sudan. Similarly, Bangui regularly assesses the option of utilizing the Congolese corridor via Pointe-Noire. In this highly competitive environment, every perceived superfluous procedure fuels discussions about diversifying access to the sea. The removal of the BESC for transit flows, in this context, represents both a defensive maneuver and an act of trade facilitation.

Suspension alone may not suffice

While transporters and shippers across the sub-region commend the initiative, they also emphasize that significant work remains. Persistent issues such as multiple checkpoints along the Douala-N’Djamena route, reported irregular practices at police and customs posts, and prolonged port processing times continue to heavily burden logistical costs. Without addressing these structural irritants, the overall impact of the current measure is likely to be limited.

The challenge for Cameroonian authorities now lies in effectively balancing documentary simplification with administrative discipline. Modernizing information systems, enhancing inter-agency coordination, and reducing redundant controls will be critical factors in ensuring the Trans-Cameroonian corridor maintains its position as the preferred option for Chadian and Central African freight. The BESC suspension marks only the initial phase in a comprehensive reform agenda long anticipated by CEMAC operators. The measure is effective immediately and will remain valid until further notice from the CNCC.