The 2023 Finance Bill provides for an increase of the computer tax to 1% of the taxable value of imported and exported goods which previously stood at 0.45%. The text precises that "fees paid for services rendered known as "computer tax", are set at 1% of the taxable value of goods and shall not exceed 15,000 CFA francs per export declaration."

The text further stipulates that 75% of the proceeds of this computer tax will be allocated to the state budget and 25% to the development of information and communication technologies, modernisation projects and the monitoring of customs activities.

This implies that if a computer equipment is bought at 10,000 FCFA, the State will require that 100 CFA francs be paid as computer tax, up from 45 CFA francs. From the 100 CFA francs collected, 75 CFA francs will go into state coffers and 25 CFA francs to the customs sector. This could have a domino effect on imported IT products that are resold on the local market since traders tend to mechanically factor in all additional taxes on the final purchase price and transfer them to the buyer.

Source: Business in Cameroon