A significant development for regional trade operators has unfolded: the National Shippers’ Council of Cameroon (CNCC) has temporarily suspended the mandatory Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (BESC) for goods traversing the Douala-N’Djamena and Douala-Bangui corridors. This decision, formalized through a communiqué signed on June 15, 2026, by Director General Auguste Mbappe Penda, directly impacts the entire logistics chain, including shippers, customs brokers, freight forwarders, and transporters involved in shipments destined for Chad and the Central African Republic via Cameroonian territory.
Originally implemented in 2006, the BESC was designed to enhance cargo traceability, provide objective transport cost data, and contribute to commercial flow statistics. However, its application to simple transit shipments had evolved into a persistent point of contention with Chadian and Central African operators, who frequently criticized the escalating formalities and associated costs encountered en route to the Port of Douala.
A key concession from the N’Djamena tripartite forum
The suspension of this tracking note stems directly from the recommendations put forth during the 5th Chad-Cameroon-Central African Republic tripartite forum, which convened in N’Djamena in May 2026. That crucial gathering, dedicated to improving transit efficiency along the Trans-Cameroonian axis, highlighted numerous technical and administrative bottlenecks impeding the smooth flow of goods from Douala towards N’Djamena and Bangui.
According to a CNCC official quoted in the official communication, these operational inefficiencies partly arise from the still-deficient interconnection of information systems among the various shippers’ councils within the CEMAC zone. Paradoxically, a tool intended to simplify tracking had inadvertently complicated logistical operations. The suspension, therefore, addresses both technical and political imperatives, pending the necessary harmonization of regional IT platforms. While Chadian and Central African authorities, who have long advocated for streamlined procedures in Douala, view this decision as a positive step, it is important to note that the measure does not affect the traceability mechanisms managed by Cameroonian customs, which remain fully operational for transit cargo.
Safeguarding 410 billion FCFA in annual revenue
For Yaoundé, the stakes are far from symbolic. Cameroonian customs authorities estimate annual revenues exceeding 410 billion FCFA are generated from the transit of Chadian and Central African goods. This substantial income is intrinsically linked to the Port of Douala, which serves as the primary maritime gateway for the landlocked Sahelian and Central African hinterlands. Any decline in the corridor’s competitiveness risks a gradual diversion of these crucial trade flows away from Cameroon.
This risk is quite tangible. N’Djamena has, for several years, been exploring alternative logistical routes, notably through Nigeria’s Port of Lagos or corridors traversing Sudan. Similarly, Bangui regularly evaluates the option of utilizing the Congolese corridor via Pointe-Noire. Within this highly competitive landscape, every procedure perceived as superfluous fuels the discourse on diversifying access to the sea. In this context, lifting the BESC on transit flows represents both a defensive maneuver and an act of trade facilitation.
Suspension alone may not suffice
While regional transporters and shippers commend the initiative, they widely believe that significant work remains. Persistent issues such as multiple checkpoints along the Douala-N’Djamena axis, 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 BESC suspension may remain limited.
For Cameroonian authorities, the immediate challenge lies in effectively balancing documentary simplification with administrative discipline. The modernization of information systems, enhanced inter-service coordination, and the reduction of redundant controls will be critical factors determining the Trans-Cameroonian corridor’s ability to maintain its position as the preferred option for Chadian and Central African freight. The BESC suspension marks merely an initial phase in a broader reform agenda that CEMAC operators have long anticipated.