Cameroon is stepping up efforts to increase exports under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by helping businesses better understand and apply the agreement’s rules of origin, a key requirement for accessing preferential tariffs across the continent.
Around 15 Cameroonian companies are participating in a four-day workshop in Douala from 29 June to 2 July 2026, jointly organised by the World Customs Organization (WCO), the European Union (EU) and the Cameroon National Shippers’ Council (CNCC). The programme aims to equip exporters, manufacturers and business associations with the knowledge needed to benefit from AfCFTA trade preferences.
Unlocking access to African markets
The initiative supports Cameroon’s broader strategy to expand intra-African trade, which remains relatively limited despite the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA.
In 2023, Africa accounted for just 12.7% of Cameroon’s exports and 9.5% of its imports, highlighting significant potential for growth within the continental market of more than 1.3 billion consumers.
Rules of origin determine whether goods qualify for the preferential tariffs offered under the AfCFTA. Products must be wholly produced or substantially transformed in a member country to benefit from reduced or zero-duty access to participating markets.
However, many businesses struggle to meet documentation and certification requirements, preventing them from taking full advantage of the agreement.
Building technical expertise
The Douala workshop forms part of the EU-WCO Rules of Origin (RoO) Africa Programme, which seeks to improve understanding of origin requirements across the continent.
According to Guillaume Gerout, a WCO expert, the programme aims to develop a national pool of specialists who can train customs officials, exporters, freight forwarders and other stakeholders on AfCFTA rules of origin, certification procedures and compliance requirements.
The training also focuses on strengthening supply chain management, documenting the origin of production inputs, obtaining certificates of origin and adapting manufacturing processes where necessary to satisfy AfCFTA eligibility criteria.
The initiative is supported by the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) as part of wider efforts to harmonise customs procedures and facilitate regional trade.
According to Jacob Kotcho Bongkwaha, Director of the Common Market at the ECCAS Commission, around 400 products from Central Africa already qualify for preferential treatment under the AfCFTA, with efforts underway to expand the list further.
Limited uptake despite early success
Although trading under the AfCFTA has begun, only a handful of Cameroonian businesses have exported under the agreement’s preferential regime.
Early participants include GIC Afatex, which exports safou fruit, dried pineapple and ginger to Ghana; Cameroon Tea Estate and Ndawara Tea Estate, both tea exporters serving the Ghanaian market; Inoda Industries Sarl, a resin producer; and aluminium manufacturer Alucam, which has exported aluminium ingots to Algeria.
These shipments demonstrate that the AfCFTA framework is operational but also highlight the relatively low number of companies currently benefiting from its preferential market access.