This image shows molten gold being poured into a mold during the refining process at an African gold mine.
Cameroon has launched a nationwide operation to recover an estimated $680 billion in unpaid tax and customs revenue linked to the production of roughly 17 metric tons of gold. The initiative targets mining operators, particularly in the East and Adamaoua regions, where authorities have identified discrepancies between reported production and declared output, potentially depriving the state of significant revenue. The government plans to strengthen oversight by introducing minimum delivery requirements, improving monitoring throughout the extraction process, and enhancing traceability of gold production. Officials say the measures are designed to restore greater control over the country’s mining industry and ensure the sector contributes more meaningfully to national development. The crackdown follows long-standing criticism that Cameroon’s gold sector generates far less government revenue than its resource wealth should allow.
Africanews