CEMAC Merger Control: Regulatory Trends from the First-Half of 2026 Notifications
In brief Background The CEMAC merger control framework establishes a notification and review mechanism for concentrations meeting the relevant Community dimension thresholds. The CEMAC Commission’s engagement with notified transactions has intensified progressively, and the first half of 2026 offers a further opportunity to assess the contours of emerging enforcement practice. Recent concentration notifications Among the […]
New Rules on Inbound Remittance within CEMAC: What Payment Institutions Need to Know
The Governor of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) has issued a binding Instruction imposing, for the first time, a comprehensive verification, traceability, and reporting framework on the pre-financing of inbound money transfers executed through payment institutions in the CEMAC zone. Why this Instruction was issued Payment institutions across CEMAC have increasingly relied on […]
CEMAC Extractive Sector: BEAC Raises the Forex Repatriation Threshold
On 23 April 2026, the Governor of the Banque des États de l’Afrique Centrale (“BEAC”) signed Instruction n°001/GR/2026, setting a phased increase in the foreign exchange repatriation rate applicable to extractive companies resident in the CEMAC zone. The current rate of 35% will rise to 50% on 1 January 2027, and to 70% on 1 […]
From Payment Instrument to Payment Infrastructure: What BEAC’s 2024 Data Reveals About Mobile Money in CEMAC
The Banque des États de l’Afrique Centrale (“BEAC”) has published its 2024 Report on Payment Services in the CEMAC zone. The headline figures are striking: 502 Payment Service Providers accounting for 3.92 billion transactions, 182,962 billion CFA francs in aggregate value, 56.47 million accounts, and year-on-year growth of +5.76% in volume and +6.38% in value. […]
CEMAC 2024 – 2025 M&A Review and 2026 Outlook: Trends, Timelines, and What the Pipeline Reveals
Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the CEMAC region saw a notable acceleration throughout 2024 and 2025. An analysis of publicly available data from the CEMAC Competition Commission (the “Commission”), spanning final decisions in 2024 and the pipeline of notifications filed in 2025, offers a practical view of where investment is flowing and how the […]
Cameroon enters the era of zero-tolerance for e-Procurement enforcement
Circular No. 000002 of 19 February 2026 Imposes Full Dematerialisation and Financial Gatekeeping for e-Procurement In a decisive regulatory shift, the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Public Contracts has issued Circular No. 000002 of 19 February 2026 (the Circular), marking the formal transition from facilitative implementation to strict enforcement of Cameroon’s electronic […]
COSUMAF Tightens Governance Standards: Mandatory Prior Approval for Directors of Digital Asset Service Providers and Regulated Entities
In a decisive regulatory development for the Central African capital markets landscape, the Financial Market Supervisory Commission of Central Africa (COSUMAF) has adopted Instruction COSUMAF No. 46-25 of 15 December 2025, transmitted through Circular Letter No. 001-2026 of 19 February 2026 (together, the Instruction). The Instruction introduces a mandatory prior regulatory approval regime for directors […]
Epanty Mbanda Recognised by Leaders in Law
We are pleased to share that Epanty Mbanda has been selected and featured on Leaders in Law, an international platform dedicated to profiling individual legal professionals across a broad range of jurisdictions and practice areas. Leaders in Law focuses on recognising lawyers based on an independent review of publicly available professional information, areas of expertise, […]
Commodity Price Dynamics in CEMAC: The Structural Impact of a Prolonged Downturn on Economies and Key Sectors
The report of the fourth quarter of 2025 on the global prices of the main commodities exported by CEMAC countries confirmed a reality that CEMAC economies can no longer interpret as a temporary correction: the sustained decline in global commodity prices has become a structural feature of the economic landscape. Affecting both energy and non-energy […]
Cameroon’s Mandatory Digital Penalty Waiver System: Phased Rollout Requires Immediate Action by In-Country Teams
Cameroon’s move to a mandatory, exclusively digital penalty waiver system eliminates administrative discretion but introduces new operational and technical compliance risks. Corporate entities (including Multinationals) operating in Cameroon must prepare their local finance teams for the phased regional rollout, beginning 1 February 2026, to avoid compliance gaps and potential disputes arising from an automated decision-making […]
