By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
The Steering Committee of the Public Finance Governance Support Project (PAGFIP) has approved a budget of over FCFA 9.3 billion ($15.5 million) to advance the modernization of Cameroon’s public finance management in 2025.
The budget was adopted on Feb. 19 in Yaounde during the committee’s second meeting chaired by Jean Tchoffo, Secretary General of the Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT). Representatives from government, private sector, and civil society attended the session.
Speaking during the meeting, Tchoffo emphasized the project’s goal to bolster Cameroon’s public finances from 2023 to 2026 by improving tax revenue collection and promoting integrity and accountability in financial governance.
On his part, Project Coordinator Valentin Lah Kouotou hailed the meeting’s discussions, noting the committee not only adopted the 2025 budget but also greenlit an ambitious work plan. “We aim to launch as many activities as possible this year,” he said. The approved budget totals FCFA 9.3 billion excluding taxes, or FCFA 10.6 billion with taxes included.
After two years of delays, PAGFIP is gaining momentum. Key initiatives for 2025 include introducing electronic invoicing at the General Directorate of Taxes, digitizing withholding tax processes to boost revenue, assessing the public procurement system using the MAPS methodology, and training civil society groups, Kouotou said.
The committee urged PAGFIP’s management unit to intensify efforts in executing the plan while addressing 2025’s unique challenges, he added. The meeting also reviewed progress on recommendations from the committee’s first session in December 2024 and a January 2025 oversight mission by the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), a key partner in the project.
A collaboration between Cameroon and the AfDB, PAGFIP focuses on enhancing tax revenue mobilization and fostering transparency and accountability in public finance management, alongside providing project management support.
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