Finance Minister Louis Paul Motaze told a cabinet council on 27 October 2026 that the government has earmarked CFA600 billion for domestic debt payments in 2027. He did not say how much of it will go to financial debt and how much to unpaid bills owed to businesses and other public creditors, according to Business in Cameroon and Cameroun24.
Key takeaways
- The 2027 provision for domestic debt is CFA600 billion, with no split between financial debt and arrears.
- Arrears stood at CFA703.5 billion at the end of June 2026, 1.7% of GDP, per the 2027-2029 budget framework.
- Total debt service and arrears in 2027 is projected at CFA2,143.5 billion, down 14.8%, with 240 billion of the fall coming from lower arrears payments.
- A new audit of arrears for 2020-2025 asked public bodies to submit files by 31 October 2026.
What the CFA600 billion covers
The perimeter of the figure has not been published, so it cannot be compared directly with the arrears stock. For suppliers waiting for payment, the open question is what share goes to commercial invoices. The 2027 budget framework shows the overall bill falling, and about 64% of that drop (CFA240 billion of CFA373.8 billion) comes from a smaller provision to clear arrears.
How big the backlog is
Government figures put the stock of arrears at CFA703.5 billion at end-June 2026. A separate Finance Ministry statement says CFA463.3 billion was cleared in 2024 and 2025, equal to 61.6% of a floating-debt stock now assessed at CFA752.1 billion. That stock has been revised up by CFA80.4 billion from the CFA671.7 billion identified in the original audit covering 2000 to 2019, which suggests new arrears keep accumulating. The two stock figures differ by date and perimeter.
The ministry's own plan splits older commercial debt of CFA121.6 billion between the state and the debtor entities over 2024 to 2026. Financial Afrik reported in February 2026 that payment delays exceeded 200 days in 2025, with small and medium-sized businesses hit hardest.
The squeeze ahead
After the dip in 2027, the bill rises again. The budget framework projects debt service and arrears payments averaging CFA2,528.7 billion a year in 2028 and 2029. Cash is also tied to the IMF question: talks on a new programme have stalled, leaving CFA300 billion of 2027 budget support uncertain.
What businesses should do
Suppliers should check that their invoices are in the audit, because institutions were told to file by the end of October. They should also treat state payment dates as uncertain when pricing contracts, and consider invoice financing for large public-sector receivables.
Frequently asked questions
How much will Cameroon pay in domestic debt in 2027?
CFA600 billion, according to the finance minister, with no breakdown yet.
How much does the state owe in arrears?
CFA703.5 billion at the end of June 2026, according to the budget framework. The Finance Ministry assessed floating debt at CFA752.1 billion in a separate statement.
The 2027 finance law, due in the coming weeks, is the first document likely to show how the CFA600 billion is split.
