In a context of increased sub-regional integration within CEMAC, the Observatory of Abnormal Practices on Central African corridors (OPA-AC) conducted an awareness campaign from February 12 to 19, 2026. This initiative, financed by the European Union and led by the Sub-regional Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics (ISSEA), aimed to inform the public about the issues related to abnormal practices that hinder trade in the region.
OPA-AC deployed its teams on the Douala-Kribi-Bangui and Douala-Ndjamena corridors, where they collected information from stakeholders and noted the impacts of these practices. The campaign was marked by the distribution of kits to truck drivers, administrative authorities and security forces, including mosquito nets, flashlights, vests, polos, t-shirts, caps and backpacks.
The Governor of Adamaoua, Kildadi TAGUIEKE BOUKAR, particularly facilitated the work of OPA-AC, by providing elements of the defense forces to ensure the safety of the teams in the Touboro area, considered a risk zone. This collaboration underscores the importance of the involvement of local authorities in the fight against irregular practices.
The awareness campaign focused on various aspects of customs and port transit, including the autonomous ports of Douala and Kribi, road transport, checkpoints, weighbridges, the state of road infrastructure and the working conditions of truck drivers. The objective was to cover the entire supply chain in order to identify bottlenecks and practices to be corrected.
The Regional Observatory of Abnormal Practices on the main corridors of Central Africa (OPA-AC) was launched on November 11, 2021 as part of the Support Program for the Governance of Regional and National Infrastructure in Central Africa, financed to the tune of 3.8 billion FCFA by the EU. The pilot corridors are: Douala-Bangui (1431 km), Douala - N'Djamena (1844 km in direct connection via Nguéli), and the non-conventional corridor of Douala-Libreville (790 km) added in 2016. The OPA-AC is housed by the Sub-regional Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics (ISSEA).
In August 2025, the OPA presented in Bangui the results of its monitoring of Central African corridors, revealing that the free movement of goods and people remains hampered by administrative harassment and illegal tax collection. These practices have the consequence of increasing the cost of import and export products, hindering intra-regional trade and the competitiveness of the economies of the sub-region.
The commitment of authorities and the awareness of actors are essential to improve the fluidity of trade and promote regional integration within CEMAC. The fight against irregular practices is a major challenge for the economic development of Central Africa.
