As of April 2, 2026, the city of Douala is intensifying the regulation of moto-taxis with new measures and increased controls. The city's mayor, Roger Mbassa Ndine, has announced systematic and unannounced control operations specifically targeting the Akwa, Bali, and Bonapriso districts.
These measures aim to better regulate a rapidly expanding activity that is often a source of urban disorder, road insecurity, and crime. The city council wants to professionalize the sector and improve user safety.
The controls will concern two categories of drivers. Moto-taxi drivers for commercial use must present an attestation of enrollment in the sector's sanitation program and wear an approved vest issued by the Douala Urban Community (CUD). Private drivers must provide their driver's license, vehicle registration card, and valid insurance.
The initiative responds to several concerns. The chronic congestion of the city by unregistered moto-taxis that do not respect the highway code is a major source of disruption. In addition, repeated complaints from residents and motorists denounce the insecurity linked to motorcycles circulating without license plates or insurance.
The Douala city council has already put in place a program to identify moto-taxi drivers, with the allocation of vests and unique identification numbers. As of January 2025, approximately 10,000 drivers out of the expected 20,000 had been registered. Wearing the vest is now compulsory, and non-compliance exposes offenders to sanctions.
If these measures are rigorously applied, they could clean up the sector, improve road safety and strengthen the credibility of the profession. However, challenges remain, including the risk of corruption and the potential discontent of unregistered drivers. Transparency and fairness will therefore be essential for the success of this reform.
The question remains whether drivers will accept these new rules or whether Douala will experience a new wave of protests. The city of Douala continues its efforts to structure the moto-taxi transport sector, with awareness campaigns and registration on a digital platform.
