Cameroon to Deactivate Undeclared Phones from Network on September 1

Cameroon is set to deactivate mobile phones that have not cleared customs, with the measure taking effect on September 1, 2026. Minister of Finance Louis Paul Motaze clarified the timeline and procedures for disabling contraband devices on the national network.

Owners of undeclared phones who have received notification messages, or those who haven't, are urged to comply with the regulations. Failure to do so will result in their devices being deactivated. The directive specifically targets phones that connected to the local telecommunications network for the first time after April 1, 2026, without proper customs declaration, as well as those activated in bulk by the same SIM card after that date without continuous use.

Individuals can verify their device's status, whether compliant or non-compliant, by checking the IMEI number using *#06#, consulting the platform www.mpie.camcis.cm, or contacting the Directorate General of Customs at 8044. Payment of customs duties can be made via http://ept.camcis.cm/ept/longin?reason=dclrTrmn.

The reform, outlined in Article 6 of the 2023 finance law, aims to ensure that all imported phones undergo the correct customs tax payment procedure. In April 2027, the Ministry of Finance reported that approximately 700,000 new phones had connected to the local network without paying customs taxes between April 1 and April 25, 2026. The ministry initially opted for a sensitization period before enforcement, extending the deadline for compliance. Despite previous directives to block undeclared phones by May 25, 2026, the new September 1 deadline indicates a final push to implement the policy.