Non-Cleared Phones Face Network Blockage Under Cameroon Customs Crackdown

Thousands of mobile phones and digital terminals imported without customs clearance began facing network blockage on May 25 as customs authorities moved to enforce Cameroon’s new digital terminal identification and tax collection system.

The measure, announced by Director General of Customs Edwin Fongod Nuvaga, requires mobile network operators to block all imported devices not registered on the national hardware identification platform until their customs status is regularised. Authorities say the initiative is aimed at strengthening tax collection and reducing revenue leakages in the rapidly expanding digital device market.

The directive follows a recent technical meeting between customs officials and telecom operators to clarify implementation procedures and operational responsibilities. Under the new system, every imported phone, tablet or digital terminal must have its International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) registered and customs duties paid before it can access local telecommunications networks.

According to customs data, more than 700,000 phones have connected to local networks since the mechanism took effect on April 1 without completing customs clearance procedures. While some users have since regularised their status, others remain exposed to immediate service suspension.

Yves Patrick Tchami, head of the Legislation and Litigation Division at the Directorate General of Customs, said the measure is part of a broader effort to improve compliance while protecting legitimate users. He added that customs authorities were still fine-tuning the system with telecom operators and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth rollout.

“What must be said to reassure Cameroonians is that we are implementing a citizen-centred reform. This reform necessarily requires adjustments because we are still in a process of technical deployment with all operators and partners concerned,” he said.

Customs officials said devices imported and already in use before April 1 are exempt from the measure and will not be blocked. The exemption applies only to terminals connected to local networks before the system officially entered into force.

Tchami said the legal obligation to declare imported devices remains unchanged, stressing that registration and customs clearance are mandatory before network access can be granted.

“Once the phone is identified, the user is entitled to access the network. The system in force clearly provides that all devices imported and used before April 1 are exempted from the tax,” he said.

The enforcement campaign also increases pressure on telecom operators. Customs authorities warned that any operator allowing an undeclared terminal to connect to its network from May 25 onward could be held responsible.

Mercy Fosoh