Cameroon: Nigerian Community in Douala denounces dubious taxation policies

Nigerian businessmen and women residing in Douala in the Littoral Region of Cameroon decry exorbitant taxes levied on them by taxation officials.

“Different groups of tax collectors come to my shop asking for money in the name of tax. Sometimes they don’t care to identify themselves. We sometime pay tax of up to three hundred thousand francs from a capital of one million francs.They confuse me by asking money for different types of taxes rather than combining all,” Charles Patrick, a Douala-based Nigerian businessman stated in total frustration.

Meeting with the Nigerian community in Douala Wednesday, March 17, 2021 in a sensitization seminar, a Cameroonian taxation expert advised Nigerian businessmen to pay their taxes electronically.

He said by paying taxes online, the businessmen will be able to avoid unscrupulous tax agents.

To taxation experts, Cameroon practices a declarative tax system that permits business people to declare their businesses and pay taxes accordingly.

Away from inconveniences experienced in the domain of business, Nigerians lament the fact that Cameroon immigration service ask several documents to establish residence permits.

To Monday Chukwu Emeka, “immigration officers ask for national identity card, consular identity card and passports. All these documents carry the same information. So why not ask for one to ease the process?”He questioned.

To some Nigerians, they pay 120.000 FCFA to establish the permit with duration of two years but unfortunately stay for over a year before receiving the original of the permit from authorities.

“I spent thirteen months with a receipt of the permit. Going to the immigration office for renewal, causing problems at the level of financial transactions given that writings on the receipt wipe out after using it for some months,” a Nigerian said.

According to Hon. B.I.C Okwujiaku, president of the Nigerian Union in the Littoral Region, poor mastery of taxation and immigration laws by some Nigerians is the origin of constant issues between Nigerians and the administration in Cameroon.

“Nigerians come into Cameroon everyday.This explains why we organized this seminar for people to learn more about immigration and taxation laws in our host country Cameroon for a peaceful stay,” he said.

Mbatho Ntan.