Cameroon’s government announced measures on Wednesday to address significant discrepancies in reported gold production by mining companies, which officials say have led to substantial losses in tax revenue. Authorities estimate that illegal gold exports to the United Arab Emirates have deprived the state of approximately 2,000 billion CFA francs (around $3.5 billion) over the last five years.

Acting Mining Minister Fuh Calistus Gentry told reporters that the primary issue stems not from the disappearance of state-owned gold but from under-reporting by private operators. The sector has faced ongoing criticism over its low contribution to national revenues despite the country’s rich mineral resources.

In response, the government plans to intensify oversight at mining sites, implement minimum gold delivery requirements, enhance monitoring throughout the ore recovery process, and improve traceability of production. Gentry highlighted that over 200 companies are conducting mining activities without proper authorization, with 137 cases already referred to judicial authorities.

The government also intends to address abuses related to the misuse of exploration permits. Gentry clarified that exploration permits should be solely for assessing mineral deposits and not for active mining operations.

Cameroon, which relies on the extraction of minerals such as iron, diamonds, gold, and cobalt to support economic development, adopted a new mining code in 2023 aimed at modernizing and regulating the sector. The recent crackdown is part of ongoing efforts to ensure the country maximizes revenues from its mineral wealth and curbs illegal activities within the industry.