The core issue lies in the illegal exportation or smuggling of gold, directly resulting in uncollected state revenues, as taxes and duties are legally mandated for collection at the source before any export occurs.

In response to these challenges, the Government, through the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Technological Development (MINMIDT), has initiated extensive restructuring and rectification efforts. These measures include launching internal and external fiscal and customs recovery operations. The primary objective is to reclaim outstanding amounts owed to the State by relevant operators for the periods spanning 2023 to 2025.

The internal recovery phase, set to commence on August 1st, will be led by a joint team comprising representatives from SONAMINES, the Directorate General of Taxes (DGI), and the Directorate General of Customs (DGD). This initiative aims to recoup lost revenues from under-declared or undeclared gold extractions, which have resulted in insufficient or absent tax collection by SONAMINES from companies operating within Cameroon. Two distinct categories of companies have been identified for these recovery efforts.

The first category includes fifty-one (51) companies engaged in physical gold extraction, a traditional method, whose declarations have been significantly understated. The second group, recently identified by MINMIDT, consists of thirty-three (33) sites utilizing newer gold extraction systems, where production has never been declared, leading to a complete absence of tax collection. These comprehensive recovery efforts are projected to yield at least 300 billion FCFA in the short term, effectively offsetting the approximately 165 billion FCFA in revenue losses highlighted by the 2023 ITIE report.

Concurrently, an external recovery initiative will leverage information gathered abroad. This involves collaborating with the Emirati Government to compile a list of individuals and entities that exported gold from Cameroon between 2023 and 2026. The goal is to recover hundreds of billions of FCFA in fiscal revenues rightfully due to the State.

Ultimately, these dual internal and external fiscal and customs recovery strategies are designed not only to compensate for past revenue shortfalls but also to establish a robust and efficient collection mechanism for the future. This new system for controlling gold production will involve engaging an international expertise firm and ensuring direct collection at the source by the Tax and Customs Administrations, working in conjunction with SONAMINES. The implementation of this profound restructuring is expected to eliminate the previously observed discrepancies, regardless of which individuals or companies export gold, once all due payments to the State have been duly remitted. This marks a significant step in governance Africa and African politics towards transparent resource management.