The Cameroonian Consumers Foundation (FOCACO) is alerting the public and subscribers to digital television services about an imminent tariff change resulting from the implementation of the 2026 Finance Law. This law introduces excise duties on certain TV packages previously exempt, via Article 142 of the General Tax Code.
Although the government presents this measure as a simple reduction in the excise duty rate (from 12.5% to 5% for some), FOCACO fears a direct impact on household purchasing power. In concrete terms, subscriptions priced between 5,000 and 10,000 FCFA are expected to increase by 5%. A package at 10,000 FCFA will thus cost 10,500 FCFA from April 1, 2026, an increase of 500 FCFA per month.
Only entry-level packages, costing less than 5,000 FCFA, are not affected by this increase. FOCACO deplores this additional tax pressure, which limits access to information and digital entertainment for the middle classes. The association calls on operators (Canalsat and others) to be transparent in their pricing communication and urges subscribers to be vigilant.
In Cameroon, consumers have the right to clear pricing information and protection against unfair business practices. The 2011 Consumer Protection Law frames these rights and allows for the reporting of abuses to the National Agency for Consumer Protection (ANPC). Subscribers can therefore challenge this increase if they believe it is unjustified or lacks transparency.
This increase comes in a context of changes in the pay-TV market, with a general increase in subscription prices observed in recent years. Cameroonian consumers must therefore remain vigilant and assert their rights in the face of these developments.
