An anticipated move by regional operators has materialized. The Cameroon National Shippers’ Council (CNCC) has provisionally suspended the mandatory Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (BESC) for cargo moving along the crucial Douala-N’Djamena and Douala-Bangui corridors. This directive, formalized through a communiqué signed by Director General Auguste Mbappe Penda on June 15, 2026, impacts the entire logistical ecosystem: shippers, authorized customs brokers, freight forwarders, and transporters handling goods destined for Chad and the Central African Republic via Cameroonian territory.
Introduced in 2006, the BESC system was designed to bolster merchandise traceability, objectively assess transport costs, and enrich trade flow statistics. However, its application to simple transit cargo had become a persistent point of contention for Chadian and Central African operators, who consistently highlighted the increasing burden of formalities and associated fees encountered en route to the bustling Port of Douala.
A key concession from the N’Djamena tripartite forum
The suspension of this cargo tracking note directly stems from recommendations made during the 5th Chad-Cameroon-CAR tripartite forum, which convened in N’Djamena in May 2026. This significant gathering, dedicated to optimizing transit facilitation along the trans-Cameroonian axis, brought to light the various technical and administrative bottlenecks hindering the smooth flow of goods from Douala towards N’Djamena and Bangui.
According to a CNCC executive quoted in official communications, some of these operational inefficiencies were partly due to the still-developing interconnection of information systems among the various shippers’ councils within the CEMAC zone. Paradoxically, a tool intended to simplify tracking had instead complicated logistics. The suspension thus addresses both technical and political imperatives, pending the necessary harmonization of regional IT platforms. Chadian and Central African authorities, who had long advocated for streamlined procedures at Douala, have welcomed this decision as a positive development. It is important to note, however, that the measure does not affect the traceability mechanisms managed by Cameroonian customs administration, which remain fully operational for transit cargo.
Safeguarding 410 billion FCFA in annual revenue
For Yaoundé, the stakes are far from merely symbolic. Cameroonian customs authorities estimate that annual revenues generated from the transit of Chadian and Central African goods exceed 410 billion FCFA. 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 poses a tangible risk of gradual diversion of these critical trade flows.
This risk is indeed palpable. N’Djamena has, for several years, been actively 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 procedure perceived as superfluous fuels discussions about diversifying access to the sea. The lifting of the BESC requirement for transit flows, therefore, represents both a defensive maneuver and a significant act of facilitation.
Suspension alone may not be enough
While transporters and shippers across the sub-region commend this initiative, they also emphasize that substantial work remains. Persistent challenges, such as numerous checkpoints along the Douala-N’Djamena axis, reported irregular practices at police and customs posts, and prolonged port processing times, continue to heavily impact logistical costs. Without addressing these deeply rooted structural irritants, the overall impact of this measure is likely to remain constrained.
For Cameroonian authorities, the immediate challenge lies in effectively balancing documentary simplification with stringent administrative discipline. The modernization of information systems, enhanced inter-service coordination, and a reduction in redundant controls will be crucial in ensuring the trans-Cameroonian corridor maintains its position as the preferred option for Chadian and Central African freight. The BESC suspension marks merely the initial phase in a comprehensive reform agenda long awaited by CEMAC operators. The measure is effective immediately and will remain in force until further notice from the CNCC.
