On February 20, 2026, in Douala, Cameroon, the Bureau de Gestion du Fret Terrestre (BGFT), in partnership with the Bureau National de Fret Terrestre (BNFT) of Chad, launched a project to digitize the procedures for issuing the mandatory freight waybill (LVO) and the axle tax. This initiative aims to streamline the Douala–N'Djamena corridor, an essential economic artery for Chad.
The mandatory freight waybill (LVO) is a document required for any road transport of goods for a fee. It ensures the traceability of operations and serves as contractual proof. The axle tax, on the other hand, is intended to finance the maintenance of the road network. The digitization of these procedures aims to secure administrative and financial flows, which are considered strategic for sub-regional transit.
Two digital platforms are at the heart of this system: Landfreightis, an electronic freight exchange for the sub-region, and Sig Freight, a dematerialized tracking system for land freight management procedures. Carriers are now required to complete their administrative procedures online via these platforms.
According to Abdoullahi Faouzi, the project manager, this digitization pursues three main objectives: to simplify and make administrative formalities transparent, to optimize and secure revenue for the public treasury and road maintenance, and to guarantee sovereignty over sector data. The Director General of BNFT, Saleh Youssouf Erda, specified that the agencies in Douala, Kribi, Ngaoundéré and the Koutéré border post are now “100% connected and operational”.
This reform comes in a context of persistent difficulties on the Douala–N'Djamena corridor, which is 1,948 km long. Carriers regularly report harassment related to checks by law enforcement and customs. However, the transit of Chadian goods generates more than 350 billion FCFA in annual revenue for Cameroon, according to customs figures. An immersion mission carried out by the BGFT's Operational Monitoring Unit (UOSC) in January 2026 revealed that over 1,392 km, 64 stops were recorded, i.e. an obstruction every 21.75 km, describing the corridor as “asphyxiated” from a functional point of view.
These stops lead to overconsumption of fuel, accelerated wear of equipment and additional costs. With approximately 20,000 truck movements per year to Chad, representing more than one million tonnes of goods, the economic impact is considerable. The cumulative delays, estimated at 48 hours per one-way trip, lead to an increase in fixed costs of approximately 15% per tonne-kilometer.
El Hadj Oumarou, General Coordinator of the BGFT, emphasizes the importance of the interoperability of systems. By connecting the platforms (Guce, Camcis, Sip), the BGFT aims to reduce non-tariff barriers and delays at control posts. The ultimate objective is to consolidate Cameroon's position as the “natural gateway” to the Cemac zone, where crossing a border is intended to be a simple digital formality. Digitization therefore aims to preserve the logistical competitiveness of the corridor, which is essential for regional trade and the purchasing power of Chadian consumers.
The World Bank is also supporting Cameroon in its efforts to improve the efficiency of the Douala-Ndjamena corridor, in particular by reducing turnaround time at the port of Douala and modernizing railway infrastructure.
