Cameroon is considering reinstating fuel importer Africa Petroleum S.A. after the firm took steps to settle outstanding obligations to the state, authorities said.
The potential reinstatement follows a suspension imposed in March as part of a broader regulatory crackdown on fuel importers operating under the country’s controlled pricing system.
In a letter dated April 6, the body responsible for validating compensation claims in Cameroon’s downstream oil sector recommended that the Ministry of Water and Energy lift the suspension, citing progress made by the company.
The platform’s president, Zang Martial Velery, said Africa Petroleum had submitted documentation to verify its import operations and made a voluntary payment of 200 million CFA francs toward arrears owed to the refinery support fund.
Authorities say the payment forms part of efforts to regularise the company’s position, although it remains unclear whether it fully covers outstanding liabilities or represents only a partial settlement.
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The validation platform said the steps taken by the company meet the minimum conditions required to consider lifting the sanction and has recommended restoring its import licence.
However, officials have not yet disclosed the total amount claimed from Africa Petroleum, leaving uncertainty over potential additional payments if further excess revenues are identified.
Under Cameroon’s regulated fuel pricing framework, importers declare all costs associated with fuel shipments, including purchase prices, transport, customs duties and taxes.
If actual costs exceed the regulated domestic selling price, companies can claim compensation from the state. If costs fall below the regulated price, they must repay surplus earnings to the public treasury.
Africa Petroleum was among seven companies suspended on March 12, alongside other importers including Neptune Oil, Planet Petroleum and Bocom Petroleum, as authorities moved to tighten oversight of the sector.
The suspension followed instructions for the national refinery SONARA to halt unloading of vessels chartered by the affected firms.
Africa Petroleum is now the first among the suspended companies to begin formal steps toward compliance, potentially positioning it for an early return to the market.
The development highlights the government’s broader effort to reinforce transparency and financial discipline in Cameroon’s fuel import system, which relies on a balance of state compensation and repayment of excess margins.
Officials say tighter enforcement is necessary to protect public finances and ensure accountability in a sector that plays a critical role in domestic fuel supply and price stability.
Further decisions from the Ministry of Water and Energy are expected in the coming days as regulators assess whether the company has fully met all required conditions for reinstatement.
