Yaounde – Starting January 1, 2025, Cameroonians will face a new fee of 4 Francs on every mobile money transaction. This increase was announced via SMS by the country’s major mobile operators, MTN and Orange.
Orange informed customers through a message stating, “Dear customer, following the 2025 financial law, transfer and withdrawal rates will increase by 4F per transaction as from January 1. Thanks for your loyalty.” MTN echoed this sentiment, attributing the fee to the “Law of Finance for 2025” and reminding users of an existing 0.2% tax on the total transaction amount.
This development continues a trend of rising taxation on mobile money services, following the introduction of the 0.2% levy just a year prior. The new tax structure now imposes both a fixed fee of 4 Francs and a percentage charge on transactions, raising concerns about the government’s commitment to transparency.
Just a month before this announcement, Finance Minister Louis Paul Motaze had assured the public that no new taxes would be introduced in 2025, prompting outrage among citizens. One frustrated individual took to WhatsApp to express disbelief, asking, “Did Motaze lie? He said no new taxes would be introduced in 2025. On the first day of January, there is an increment of 4% on MoMo charges. Wonders shall never end.”
Economic analysts warn that this tax could signal even more financial burdens for citizens, as the government aims for a budget target of three trillion CFA francs for 2025. With only a fraction of the expected revenue collected in 2024, the government seems to be looking towards increased taxation as a solution.
This news comes on the heels of recent price hikes in the brewing sector and the implementation of personal income taxes on all citizens, leaving many Cameroonians anxious about the financial challenges that may arise in the near future.
