Following extensive consultations with industry stakeholders, Cameroon’s Ministry of Water and Resources – MINEE is cracking down on supply chain disruptions in the liquefied petroleum gas – LPG market.

Minister Gaston Eloundou Essomba led a three-hour working session with key actors to directly address the structural bottlenecks plaguing national availability. On September 23, 2026, the Minister issued a circular establishing strict operational rules designed to resolve market failures and guarantee consistent cooking gas distribution for households.

The Ministry’s diagnostic revealed several systemic practices undermining supply stability across the country. Key issues include delayed or non-existent payments from marketers to importers, failure to adhere to allocated market shares, and preferential dispatching to industrial clients over consumer retail outlets. Furthermore, the MINEE highlighted illegal diversions of subsidized domestic gas to industrial operations. The newly signed circular translates previous industry discussions into enforceable, mandatory guidelines aimed at curbing these irregular practices.

To restore order, the new directive imposes clear responsibilities on every segment of the supply chain. Importers are now legally bound to adhere strictly to delivery schedules and settle invoices within contractual deadlines.

Simultaneously, the Cameroon Petroleum Depot Company – SCDP must allocate cargoes according to formal commercial contracts and prioritize national market import receipts while maintaining transit flows to neighboring landlocked nations. Crucially, licensed distributors are now required to maintain an operational fleet of at least 10,000 cylinders before taking delivery of retail-bound LPG.

Enforcement will be swift for non-compliant operators trying to bypass the new standards. The Ministry warned that failure to abide by the circular’s provisions will result in regulatory penalties, ranging from immediate suspension to the complete revocation of operating licenses.

By pairing administrative dialogue with strict accountability, the government aims to ensure every actor bears their fair share of responsibility in keeping the supply chain transparent and functional.
For Cameroonian households, these regulatory measures offer direct relief from recent market tensions and scarcity.

The primary objective is to make domestic cooking gas readily available and affordably accessible across all regional retail outlets. Following stakeholder consensus, this September 23 circular represents a decisive shift from strategy to rigorous on-the-ground execution.