• Cameroon to launch nationwide electricity fraud crackdown March 15

• Annual fraud losses exceed CFA 60 billion

• Government urges users to regularize meters, meet standards

Cameroon’s Minister of Water and Energy said the government will launch a nationwide crackdown on electricity fraud from March 15, 2026.

“These operations, which are part of key measures being implemented following the renationalization of Eneo, aim primarily to reduce non-technical losses and enforce the law,” Gaston Eloundou Essomba said in a statement signed on Feb. 5, 2026.

Official estimates put annual losses from electricity fraud at more than 60 billion CFA francs (around $109 million), hampering investment and efforts to improve electricity supply. Industry sources say the losses further weaken an already struggling sector.

“Fraud is also identified as one of the causes of several fires and electrocution incidents,” Eloundou Essomba said.

To avoid penalties under the crackdown, illegal electricity users are urged to regularize their meters and wiring without delay and ensure they meet current safety standards, the minister said.

BRM, with Business in Cameroon