Post-election unrest following Cameroon’s disputed October 2025 presidential vote inflicted losses of more than 254 billion CFA francs ($420 million) on businesses and the state, underscoring the heavy economic cost of weeks of violence and disruption, an employers’ group said Tuesday.
The Groupement des entreprises du Cameroun (Gecam), the country’s main business association, said companies absorbed the bulk of the damage, while public finances were weakened by a sharp fall in tax revenues as activity ground to a halt in several regions.
In a survey-based report, Gecam estimated total losses at 254.6 billion CFA francs, with private firms accounting for 211.4 billion CFA francs roughly 0.6 percent of Cameroon’s gross domestic product in 2025. The state, meanwhile, lost an estimated 43.3 billion CFA francs in foregone tax receipts.
“The scale of the losses reflects the depth of the economic disruption caused by the post-election crisis,” the employers’ group said, describing the unrest as one of the most damaging shocks to business activity in recent years.
Cameroon was rocked by protests and clashes after President Paul Biya, in power for more than four decades, was declared the winner of the October 12 vote. Opposition parties rejected the result, alleging fraud, and demonstrations quickly turned violent in parts of the country.
According to Gecam, most corporate losses stemmed from a steep fall in sales rather than physical destruction. Firms surveyed reported an average contraction in turnover of 33.5 percent during the crisis period, translating into 202.3 billion CFA francs in lost revenue.
Material damage including theft, vandalism and arson accounted for a further 9.1 billion CFA francs, the group said.
The shock to business activity quickly fed through to public finances. Lower value-added tax receipts and weaker corporate income tax payments resulted in an immediate fiscal shortfall of 43.3 billion CFA francs, adding pressure to a budget already strained by rising social and security spending.
“Public finances were also affected,” Gecam said, warning that prolonged instability could have lasting consequences for revenue mobilisation.
Douala bears the brunt
The economic impact was unevenly distributed, with Douala, Cameroon’s commercial capital and main port city, emerging as the epicentre of losses.
Gecam said Douala alone accounted for nearly 65 percent of total damage nationwide, with an estimated 160.3 billion CFA francs in lost revenue. The city is home to the bulk of Cameroon’s industrial base and handles most of its imports and exports.
Unrest also affected other regions, including the Littoral, North, Adamawa, Far North, South-West, West and East, though to a lesser extent, the report said.
Three sectors were hit particularly hard. Hotels and restaurants suffered the biggest losses, with activity down by 53.4 percent, reflecting travel disruptions, curfews and the collapse of consumer confidence. Construction followed with losses of 44.6 percent, while industry and energy recorded declines of 39.8 percent.
Beyond the headline figures, the employers’ group highlighted widespread knock-on effects across the economy. Logistical blockages disrupted supply chains, affecting agriculture at a rate of 86 percent and industry at 74 percent, according to the survey.
Companies also faced sharp inflationary pressures as shortages pushed up costs. Firms reported an average inflation rate of 20.1 percent during the crisis, with peaks of 32.5 percent in agriculture.
Gecam said 75 percent of companies experienced complete shutdowns at some point, while many were forced to cut staff, delay payments and cope with deteriorating working conditions.
Calls for urgent support
Describing the situation as “a post-election crisis of unprecedented magnitude,” Gecam urged the government to roll out emergency recovery measures to prevent permanent damage to the private sector.
The group called for targeted tax relief, a temporary moratorium on audits and extended payment deadlines to ease liquidity pressures. It also recommended financing packages combining subsidies and credit lines, particularly for very small enterprises, as well as support to rehabilitate damaged production facilities.
Other proposals included stronger security in economic zones and a temporary suspension of road checkpoints on key trade corridors to restore the flow of goods.
To underpin its findings, Gecam said it conducted surveys between November 6 and December 2, 2025, covering 289 companies and 11 professional organisations with combined annual turnover of 4,825 billion CFA francs.
The high concentration of respondents in Douala 78 percent ensured strong coverage of an area representing nearly two-thirds of national turnover, the group said.
As political tensions persist, business leaders warn that restoring stability will be critical not only to revive growth, but also to protect public finances and jobs in a fragile economy still recovering from multiple shocks.
