Telecommunication plays an essential role in policing non-conventional crimes. From cybercrime to terrorism, Cameroon’s government continuous to adopt new security strategies to secure systems and adapt to emerging menace of new technologies. Cameroon customs administration CAMCIS system is an addition to cyberlaws and ratified conventions on national and regional security. Decree No. 2015/3759 of 3 September 2015 lays down the Identification Requirements for Subscribers and Terminal Equipment of Electronic Communication Network as per:
Article 4(1) A subscriber is eligible to not more than three (03) Sim cards;
Article 4 (2) which further explains in case a subscriber will need to have more Sim cards, the latter will need authorization from the agency regulating electronic communication.
Article 6 focuses on some of the key requirments for registring a Sim card are but not limited to:
- Oringinal ID card
- Resident permit for foreigners
- Exact localization plan of subscriber
- Provide the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of device
In July 2019, Orange, MTN, and Nextel were fined a total of CFA 35 billion by the Telecommunication Regulatory Agency (ART) for the inadequate implementation of decree No. 2015/3759, which included pre-activation of Sim cards, the sale of Sim cards by mobile agents, and activation of numbers without prior identification. However, the breach of the website of General Delegation for National Security (DGSN) by cybercriminals in 2021, in which they succeeded to defraud some Cameroonians, that paid the passport enrolment fee to their mobile money number is a menace to national security.
In 2024, the minister of territorial administration (MINAT) issued a sixty days ultimatum to major mobile operators demanding updated subscriber information in order to combat the use of unregistered Sim cards for extortion and ransom demands in socio-political crisis zones. The minister further revealed that; 450 unregistered Sim cards reportedly in circulation within the conflict zones and that separatists in the country had collected over CFA 320 million using such cards over the past 12 months. Meanwhile, kidnappers in the Far North and Adamawa regions have collected about CFA 75 million, reason the Minat affirmed that; ‘Mobile operators will not profit at the expense of Cameroon’s security’.
Cameroon government has several legal instruments to police national and trans-border crimes. In order to reconfigure the security apparatus in Cameroon since 2010, several laws have been promulgated to secure the national territory, its citizens and the use of new technologies. Some of these laws are but not limited to: law No. 2010/021 of 21 December 2010 on Electronic Commerce in Cameroon; Decree No. 2015/3759 of 3 September 2015 lays down the Identification Requirements for Subscribers and Terminal Equipment of Electronic Communication Networks; and Decree No. 2017/2580/PM of 06 April 2017 setting the Terms and Conditions for the Establishment or Operation of Electronic Communication Networks and Supplies of Electronic Communication Services subject to the Authorization Regime.
Cameroon customs administration CAMCIS system is an additional prerogative of the state to protect its citizens, reconfigure national security and sovereignty over new technologies. CAMCIS is a customs clearance system for mobile phones, tablets and other electronic devices, which helps track and crack down criminals threatening Cameroon’s sovereignty. However, clearance system that identifies devices through their IMEI number is based on article 6 of the 2023 finance law, which does not introduce new tax, but reinforce security dynamics. This aligns with key provisions of article 6 of decree No. 2015/3759 of 3 September 2015 which lays down the Identification Requirement for Subscribers and Terminal Equipment of Electronic Communication Networks.
Read
Cameroon’s IMEI-Based Customs System gets operational, non-complaint devices blocked from network. https://www.businessincameroon.com/public-management/0104-15960-cameroon-s-imei-based-customs-system-gets-operational-non-complaint-devices-blocked-from-networks.
Cameroon crack down on Sim misuse, order subscriber data update.https://www.businessincameroon.com/public-management/1104-13724-cameroon-crack-down-on-sim-misuse-order-subscriber-data-update.
