Maroua’s Unregulated Illicit Fuel Business Thrives in Chaos

In the capital of Cameroon’s Far North Region, the illicit fuel market known locally as “Zoua-Zoua” has turned into a scene of fierce, unregulated competition along major roads and in working-class neighborhoods.

Vendors display prices scrawled on boards or slates, ranging from 600 francs CFA to as low as 450 francs per litre, far below official pump prices, despite the fuel coming from the same informal supply networks.

This price volatility has deepened distrust among motorists and motorcyclists, who question not only the fluctuating rates but also the actual quantity and quality of fuel being sold.

Many complain of receiving fuel in repurposed plastic bottles that can warp in the sun, distorting measurements and short-changing buyers.

“Paying less doesn’t mean you get the same amount or the same quality,” one regular buyer observed. “There’s no standard here.”

The trade carries significant risks: adulterated blends, uncertain quality, and serious mechanical and safety hazards for vehicles and users alike.

Yet for many residents in Maroua, Zoua-Zoua remains a vital—if precarious—source of affordable fuel.

With no regulatory oversight or consistent pricing, consumers navigate a chaotic marketplace where price wars and unreliable measurements have become the norm.

Local authorities have yet to effectively intervene in what has grown into both a sensitive and strategic informal sector, leaving users to weigh affordability against safety in the absence of formal alternatives.