Cameroonian authorities have launched a large-scale operation against electricity fraud, dismantling several networks of illegal connections in Yaoundé and Douala. This initiative reveals the extent of a problem that seriously affects the national electricity grid and the country's economy.
Inspection teams have primarily targeted the districts of the two main cities, Yaoundé and Douala, where hundreds of homes and businesses have been inspected. The results exceeded expectations, with a notable case of a single operator illegally supplying up to 400 households. This underground network has been completely dismantled.
Electricity fraud in Cameroon is not limited to isolated acts; it involves organized networks with elaborate logistics and in-depth technical knowledge of the distribution network. The working-class neighborhoods of Yaoundé and Douala are the most affected, due to population density and insufficient controls in the past.
These networks operate through informal electricians who make illegal connections upstream of the meters, making consumption undetectable for Eneo, the public service concessionaire. These operators act as electricity resellers, charging their own rates and making considerable profits at the expense of the grid.
The fraud has disastrous consequences on the electrical system, leading to significant financial losses for Eneo and affecting the quality of service for regular subscribers. Honest customers experience power cuts and repeated breakdowns due to network overload.
Faced with this situation, the authorities have announced the increase of control operations throughout the territory, with increased surveillance in Yaoundé and Douala. In the long term, the objective is to protect the investments necessary to modernize the network and improve access to electricity for all Cameroonians.
According to Eneo, electricity fraud costs the Cameroonian energy sector approximately 60 billion CFA francs per year. In addition to financial losses, electricity fraud is a cause of death, with 32 deaths related to illegal electrical installations recorded in 2024.
