The Cameroonian government says electricity fraud costs the country about CFA60 billion each year, making it one of the biggest financial drains on the national power sector. Authorities plan to make the fight against electricity theft a central part of the 2026–2028 restructuring plan for Socadel, the new electricity distribution company created after the state took control of former utility Eneo.
Water and Energy Minister Gaston Eloundou Essomba said Socadel will launch an intensive anti-fraud campaign during its first 100 days of operation. The campaign will include targeted day-and-night operations in neighbourhoods across the country to identify illegal connections and prosecute offenders.
Government inspections in Yaoundé and Douala recently uncovered about 3,000 cases of electricity fraud in just three weeks. Officials say these findings show the scale of the problem and underline the need for stronger enforcement to recover lost revenue and protect future investment in the power sector.
The estimated annual loss from electricity fraud is larger than Eneo’s 2024 investment budget of CFA53 billion and nearly double its 2023 investment spending of CFA33.3 billion. This shows how illegal connections and unpaid consumption directly weaken the sector’s ability to finance service improvements and infrastructure upgrades.
The government says the problem goes beyond electricity theft alone. Cameroon’s distribution network also suffers from technical and non-technical losses, including unmetered consumption, billing errors and weak revenue collection. Reducing these losses will require investment in infrastructure, modern metering systems and stronger commercial operations.
To support the recovery plan, the government intends to create a national anti-fraud brigade. The unit will be responsible for tracking offenders and helping enforce regulations across the country. Consumers have also been urged to regularize their electricity connections and contribute to the sustainability of the energy sector.
Another major challenge is unpaid electricity bills owed by public institutions. The government estimates that central government agencies owe about CFA10 billion, while other public entities owe an additional CFA72 billion, bringing total public-sector arrears to at least CFA82 billion.
These unpaid bills place pressure on Socadel’s cash flow and affect the entire electricity value chain. Since the distribution company collects revenues from consumers and redistributes funds to power producers, the transmission company, fuel suppliers and service providers, payment delays can weaken the financial stability of the whole sector.
The government is discussing measures with the Ministry of Finance to prioritize the payment of electricity bills by public institutions. Proposed reforms include improving invoice validation, installing smart meters at government facilities, settling cross-debts between the state and the utility, and introducing clearer rules for payment obligations.
Overall, Cameroon’s Socadel restructuring plan will require more than anti-fraud operations. Restoring financial health in the electricity sector will depend on reducing network losses, improving revenue collection, enforcing payment discipline among public institutions and strengthening management across the power value chain.
