Cameroon’s national mining company, Sonamines, is increasing pressure on gold mining operators across the country. After an inspection tour in the Adamaoua and East regions—the main hubs for artisanal and semi-mechanised gold production—Director General Serge Hervé Boyogueno delivered a blunt assessment. Many operators are falling short of expected production levels, while others are proving insolvent. Environmental shortcomings and opaque trading circuits are further undermining the state’s control over the sector.
Field inspection reveals weaknesses in the gold sector
The visited regions account for the bulk of Cameroon’s gold activity, dominated by semi-mechanised companies and numerous artisanal miners. Sonamines’ mission aimed to verify whether permit holders were meeting their contractual and regulatory obligations. The findings from the director general highlight a persistent gap between the commitments made when permits were awarded and the actual production observed on the ground.
A significant number of operators are not achieving the production thresholds set in their specifications. This underperformance is compounded, in some cases, by proven insolvency towards the state and its agencies. On this point, the head of Sonamines explicitly referred the decision to the Ministry of Mines, which alone has the authority to suspend or revoke permits. The state-owned company thus positions itself as a technical body for observation, leaving political supervision to decide on penalties.
Insolvency, environment, and opaque trade: a triple challenge
Beyond purely financial issues, the mission documented concerning environmental deficiencies. The restoration of mined sites, management of wastewater containing mercury or cyanide, and securing extraction zones are all open fronts. These failures expose surrounding communities to major health risks and undermine the sustainability of an activity that is increasingly important to the local economies of the East and Adamaoua regions.
Another front concerns commercialisation. A substantial share of extracted gold bypasses official channels, feeding regional smuggling networks and depriving the public treasury of revenue while preventing traceability of the metal. This opacity, long criticised by specialised organisations, contradicts Yaoundé’s stated goal of mineral sovereignty. Sonames now aims to tighten the net by strengthening reporting obligations and approved collection points.
Towards a national strategic gold reserve
The most ambitious goal pursued by the director general remains the creation of a national strategic gold stockpile. This objective, modelled on practices observed in several African central banks, aims to provide Cameroon with a metal reserve that could back part of its monetary policy and serve as a buffer against external shocks. The logic aligns with that of other producing countries in the subregion, which seek to capture more value from their own resources.
However, success of this strategy depends on Sonamines’ ability to channel a significant share of national production through its counters. This requires prior cleaning up of the operator landscape, competitive purchase prices compared to informal buyers, and close coordination with security forces and customs along border corridors. The expected decisions from the Ministry of Mines regarding underperforming operators will be decisive in this regard.
The execution phase of Cameroon’s mining reform is proving delicate. It involves balancing the imperative of contractual discipline, preservation of a sector that provides informal jobs, and the desire to place gold within a framework of financial sovereignty. The precise timeline for ministerial decisions has not been communicated, but the conclusions of the Sonamines mission are expected to inform upcoming instructions. The director general intends to continue inspections in other production basins.