The Regional Chief of Taxation for the North West, Fiekfu Francis, has outlined a pragmatic and socially sensitive tax enforcement strategy aimed at safeguarding Cameroon’s revenue base amid ongoing crisis conditions, rising digital transactions, and emerging challenges such as online scamming.
Speaking on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at the MINEPAT Hall, Upstation Bamenda, during the question and answer session at the launch of the 2026 Public Budget in the North West Region, Fiekfu Francis intervened to clarify concerns raised by a participant on the implementation of the General Comprehensive Tax and measures to boost taxpayer compliance. The event, chaired by North West Governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique, was held under the theme “The Budget of Socio-Economic Impact.”
Crisis-Era Taxation: Focusing on the 20 Percent
Addressing the question, Fiekfu Francis acknowledged that the ongoing socio-political crisis has disproportionately affected small taxpayers, while larger taxpayers continue to contribute the bulk of revenue.
“From an economic standpoint, the reality is that about 20 percent of taxpayers generate nearly 80 percent of our revenue,” he explained. “In a fragile environment like ours, enforcement must be tactful, socially acceptable, and politically sensitive.”
Rather than pursuing aggressive mass enforcement against vulnerable groups, the tax administration has prioritized engagement with major taxpayers to stabilize revenue collection while avoiding actions that could worsen social hardship.
Compliance Linked to Public Services
One of the key enforcement tools highlighted was the linkage of tax compliance certificates to access essential public services such as water, electricity, and passports.
“When a citizen is turned back for lack of tax compliance, that moment also allows us to engage and recover what is due,” Fiekfu Francis said, describing the approach as a way to “harvest compliance” without resorting to coercive measures.
Equalization and National Solidarity
The regional tax boss also revisited the controversial equalization component of the General Comprehensive Tax, explaining that disparities between regions necessitated adjustments in the spirit of national solidarity.
“Some regions are naturally more advantaged than others,” he noted. “To rationalize this imbalance, 20 percent was removed from stronger regions and redistributed to support others.”
This mechanism, he said, was designed to reinforce fairness while maintaining national cohesion.
Introduction of the Advance Payment System
In a major reform for 2026, the tax administration has introduced an advance payment system for the comprehensive tax, allowing taxpayers to pay gradually rather than in a single lump sum.
“In the past, this tax was paid at once, which was burdensome,” Fiekfu Francis said. “Now, with advance payments, compliance becomes more realistic and less painful.”
Councils Urged to Share Data
Highlighting the importance of inter-institutional cooperation, Fiekfu Francis lamented the lack of reliable data from councils, citing the recent fire disaster in Bamenda as an example.
“Many stores were destroyed, but there was no fiscal impact, simply because we don’t know who was renting those structures,” he revealed. “Councils must provide us with information on tenants, building permits, and rental contracts.”
Without such data, he warned, effective tax administration becomes nearly impossible, especially during emergencies.
Digital Economy and Foreign Services Under the Tax Net
A significant portion of Fiekfu Francis’ intervention focused on the taxation of foreign digital services, a growing concern as more economic activity moves online.
“Many businesses no longer operate from physical shops; they operate entirely online,” he said. “If we do not tax foreign digital services, we allow erosion of Cameroon’s tax base.”
He explained that when Cameroonians pay for services rendered from abroad, money leaves the country without generating domestic tax revenue. To address this, taxation is applied at the level of the Cameroonian resident who makes the payment, in line with international principles based on the source of income and residence of the taxpayer, as outlined in OECD and UN tax conventions.
Startups operating legally within Cameroon, he clarified, continue to benefit from targeted exemptions.
On Scammers: Income, Not Legality
Responding to concerns about taxing online scammers, Fiekfu Francis drew a clear distinction between taxation and criminal justice. “Taxation is not a judge of legality,” he stated. “Our concern is income. If someone earns income, it is taxable.”
Cameroon, he disclosed, is gradually implementing the principle of universality of taxation, under which all worldwide income must be declared at the end of the fiscal year. “If you have names, if you have data, bring them to us,” he urged stakeholders in the digital sector. “With collaboration, we can identify, assess, and recover taxes even in complex digital environments.”
Gradual Enforcement, Collective Responsibility
Concluding his intervention, the Regional Chief of Taxation emphasized that mass tax actions are not feasible under current conditions due to potential social consequences. “Our approach is segmentation sector by sector, gradually evolving out of the crisis,” he said. “Tax compliance in this region requires a concerted effort from everyone.”
As the North West embarks on the implementation of the 2026 Public Budget, Fiekfu Francis’ message was clear: safeguarding public revenue in a crisis demands innovation, cooperation, and sensitivity especially in an economy increasingly shaped by digital transactions and informal realities.
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