The Autonomous Port of Douala (PAD) is currently the scene of an intense power struggle, where the affair involving the Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS) highlights deep tensions within the Cameroonian government. This situation reveals a conflict of interests and skills, impacting the national economy and port operations.
Since January 2026, the PAD has entrusted the scanning concession to the Cameroonian company Transatlantic D SA, arguing that SGS's contract has ended. However, the Ministry of Finance (MINFI) and the Prime Minister's Office maintain that SGS's contract was renewed until 2032. This discrepancy has created damaging confusion for users, who are faced with payment requests for the same service by both entities.
The complexity of this case lies in the political and economic issues that underlie it. Behind the technical aspects of port control and scanning lies a battle for power, revealing divisions at the highest levels of the state. Sources indicate that SGS's repositioning is part of a power struggle between security networks favorable to Transatlantic D and financial and administrative centers anxious to preserve existing balances.
Faced with this deadlock, the Presidency of the Republic intervened as arbitrator. On February 16, 2026, the Director General of the PAD decided to suspend part of Transatlantic D's operations, thus restoring SGS to its rights, in accordance with government directives. Transatlantic D will continue to operate on other types of goods not covered by SGS.
This affair highlights the rivalries between different clans within the Cameroonian government, particularly in the run-up to the presidential succession. The struggle for control of strategic institutions such as the PAD is intensifying, illustrating the power issues and ambitions of individuals. The outcome of this battle of influence remains uncertain, but it testifies to the complex dynamics that shape the Cameroonian political landscape. The PAD is maintaining its contract with Transatlantic D, which is for a period of 25 years.
