Cameroon targets Yango in crackdown on unregulated intercity transport 🚗⚠️

Digital transport is continuing to reshape mobility in Cameroon, but that transformation is now running into regulatory barriers. Yango has found itself under the spotlight after authorities accused the platform of promoting unregulated road transport activities within the intercity segment. The case has reignited a broader debate: what place should technology platforms occupy in a sector that remains tightly supervised by the state?

The transport company operating through the Yango digital platform is accused of encouraging “the promotion of illegal road transport operations.”

When digital innovation collides with regulation 🚦

Transport platforms such as Yango have significantly transformed urban and intercity mobility across Africa. This shift has been made possible through mobile applications and matching algorithms connecting passengers and drivers.

In Cameroon, however, this technology-driven model is colliding with a legal framework that does not appear willing to bend automatically in the face of innovation.

The Cameroonian government has now issued a formal warning to the platform, accusing it of facilitating non-regulated road transport activities.

A two-month compliance period ⚠️

The digital platform has been granted a two-month grace period to regularize its operations.

In practical terms, all vehicles listed on the application that do not possess the required documentation — transport license, blue card, vehicle registration certificate, valid insurance, up-to-date technical inspection certificate, driving license, and Capacity T certificate — must be immediately removed from intercity operations.

Financial penalties and a wave of suspensions 💸

Beyond the compliance deadline, the platform has also been ordered to pay a fixed fine of 2,500,000 CFA francs to the public treasury. The sanction falls under Article 15 of Law No. 2001-015 of July 23, 2001.

In addition, several non-compliant vehicles operating through the application have received three-month suspensions, alongside an individual penalty of 500,000 CFA francs payable to the state.

For Justin, the Ministry of Transport’s response comes at the right moment:

“I have always raised this issue. How can authorities effectively monitor vehicles operating through Yango?”

A legal framework that applies to everyone, including digital platforms 📋

Players in the digital transport ecosystem do not benefit from any exemption under Cameroonian law.

Decree No. 2022/8801/PM of October 10, 2022, which establishes access conditions for road transport operators and road transport auxiliaries, applies to all actors, whether traditional or digital.

Operating through a mobile application therefore does not create any special legal protection.

Questions around vehicle identification 🔍

Another issue has also emerged on the ground: most vehicles operating through Yango no longer display the company’s visual identity. This absence of branding makes driver traceability more difficult, an important concern in a transport ecosystem increasingly managed through digital platforms.

Yves Léo, a traditional taxi driver, shared his reaction:

“I was surprised by the statement, but at the same time it reassures me. Digital platforms should not enable illegal intercity transport in front of the state.”

This decision by the Ministry of Transport is therefore intended to raise awareness among Cameroonians while maintaining effective oversight over digital platforms operating within the transport sector.

Do you think platforms such as Yango should follow the exact same rules as traditional transport operators, or does technology deserve a dedicated legal framework? Let us know in the comments.

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