In the first four months of 2026, Cameroon collected 12.2 billion FCFA in transit fees from crude oil transported via the Chad-Cameroon pipeline. This figure, released by the Pipeline Steering and Monitoring Committee (CPSP), represents a year-on-year increase of 1.2 billion FCFA, or an 11% rise compared to the same period in 2025. The growth stems from the transport of 16.1 million barrels of Chadian crude through Cameroonian territory during the review period.

a critical artery for Chad’s energy isolation

The 1,080-kilometer pipeline connects oil fields in southern Chad to the export terminal at Komé-Kribi on Cameroon’s coast. With no direct access to the sea, N’Djamena relies entirely on this pipeline to deliver its production to global markets. Operational since the early 2000s under a consortium initially led by ExxonMobil, the pipeline remains Chad’s only viable export route for crude oil.

For Cameroon, this geographic advantage translates into steady revenue. Each barrel crossing its territory generates a transit fee of $1.321, paid into the national treasury. While the mechanism is straightforward, its cumulative impact strengthens Cameroon’s non-tax revenue base—especially as Yaoundé seeks to diversify income amid a gradual decline in domestic hydrocarbon production.

transit fees tripled over two decades

The current fee reflects a series of revisions that began in 2013. Initially set at $0.41 per barrel, the rate was deemed too low by Cameroonian authorities given the environmental and logistical risks borne by the transit country. After negotiations, a five-year review clause was agreed, leading to successive increases in 2013 and 2018 that pushed the fee to its present level.

In practice, the unit rent has more than tripled over fifteen years, aligning Cameroon’s transit conditions with those of other African oil corridors—such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in Central Asia or neighboring arrangements for the Chad-Cameroon pipeline’s counterpart, COTCO. Yet the next scheduled adjustment remains pending.

2023 fee hike still unresolved

Under the agreed schedule, a new increase was supposed to take effect on October 1, 2023. More than two years later, no official announcement has confirmed the conclusion of talks or the adoption of a higher fee. The prolonged silence raises questions, particularly as Cameroonian officials have recently emphasized efforts to maximize oil-related revenues.

Several factors may explain the delay. Chad’s political transition following former President Déby’s tenure, combined with N’Djamena’s budgetary constraints, narrows the negotiating margin for Chadian officials. Meanwhile, fluctuations in Chad’s oil output could prompt operators to advocate for tariff stability to sustain declining field profitability. For Cameroon, the calculus differs: extract maximum value from an infrastructure whose useful life is finite.

Despite these uncertainties, the current trend bolsters state coffers. If the first-quarter momentum holds, annual transit revenue could surpass 35 billion FCFA in 2026. This would cement the Chad-Cameroon pipeline’s role as a key hard-currency generator for Yaoundé, alongside Kribi gas and agricultural exports. No official updates have yet emerged regarding ongoing tariff negotiations with Chad.