Buying a smartphone in Cameroon now means more than scanning for specs and hunting for deals. Starting April 1, 2026, every imported phone, tablet, and electronic device must be registered through a new IMEI-based customs system. Announced by Finance Minister Louis Paul Motaze, the crackdown aims to prevent smuggling and secure much-needed tax revenue. For years, travelers were skirting declaration rules, sneaking in high-value devices and draining public coffers. Customs officials, facing staggering losses, decided to act—not by raising taxes, but by digitizing the border.
The new CAMCIS platform requires importers to declare device IMEIs and pay duties online, extending enforcement from border posts to shop floors and mobile networks. Vendors are now obligated to ensure buyers can check each phone’s compliance, while consumers face penalties for buying unapproved devices. Exemptions have been put in place: phones connected before April 1 are safe, and tourists get a grace period for their gadgets. As vendors rush to regularize stock and shoppers become part of the enforcement chain, Cameroon’s digital border is fast becoming reality.