Cameroon is moving to tighten oversight of its gold sector, with authorities set to revoke artisanal semi-mechanised mining permits held by operators that have failed to comply with administrative and environmental obligations.
In a statement issued on February 9, the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Technological Development announced that the affected permits will be withdrawn from February 20, 2026, in accordance with provisions of the December 2023 Mining Code.
The decision follows a high-level meeting held on January 21, 2026, involving the ministry, the National Mining Corporation (Sonamines) and operators in the sector. During that meeting, permit holders were granted a 15-day deadline to pay site rehabilitation guarantees and sign binding specifications with relevant stakeholders. Authorities now say this deadline has been “largely exceeded,” leaving the government with little choice but to enforce sanctions.
Under Article 168(2) of the Mining Code, mining sites linked to non-compliant permits will be closed and the permits formally withdrawn. The ministry said the measure is aimed at enforcing compliance with environmental protection standards, restoring degraded mining sites and strengthening regulatory discipline in the sector.
Beyond administrative enforcement, the move signals a broader attempt by the Cameroonian government to regain control of a gold industry that has long been dominated by informal and poorly regulated activity. Artisanal and small-scale mining accounts for a significant share of gold production in the country but has also been associated with environmental damage, loss of state revenue and weak traceability.
Officials say the tightening of controls forms part of a wider gold traceability strategy, intended to formalise production, curb illegal mining and improve transparency across the value chain. Sonamines is expected to play a central role in monitoring compliance and supporting the state’s efforts to structure the sector.
The ministry warned that operators who fail to regularise their status within the legal framework will face further sanctions, stressing that future access to mining permits will depend on strict adherence to environmental, financial and administrative requirements.
