The verdict in three sentences
For a London business invoicing clients in Yaoundé, Douala or elsewhere in the CEMAC zone, a local payment aggregator (CinetPay, Notch Pay or similar) is the fastest way to accept MTN Mobile Money, Orange Money and cards in one place. Fees run around 2.5 to 3.5% per transaction, settlement takes 24 to 72 h, and integration costs 800,000 to 2,000,000 FCFA (about 1,000 to 2,500 GBP) depending on the billing connection. The watch-out is not technical: it is the BEAC foreign exchange rules, which shape how funds leave the zone.
Comparing collection options
The finance director has four families of options. Fees are 2026 orders of magnitude, negotiable by monthly volume.
| Option | Methods accepted | Fee per transaction | Settlement | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local aggregator (CinetPay, Notch Pay) | MTN MoMo, Orange Money, Visa and Mastercard | 2.5 to 3.5% | 24 to 72 h, in FCFA locally | Fast set-up through a local entity or partner |
| Direct MTN MoMo or Orange Money API | One operator per contract | 1.5 to 2.5% | 24 to 48 h | High mobile money volume, in-house tech team |
| Card gateway from a local bank | Bank cards | 2 to 3% plus monthly fee | 48 to 96 h | Large accounts paying by card |
| Bank transfer with reference | CEMAC and international transfer | Fixed bank fees | 1 to 5 days | Invoices above 2,000,000 FCFA (about 2,500 GBP) |
| International gateway from your UK entity | International cards | 2.5 to 3.5% plus FX | 2 to 7 days | Clients with international corporate cards |
In B2B the combination that works best: an aggregator for invoices up to 1 to 2 million FCFA, transfer for larger amounts, and a payment link sent with each invoice.
Criteria for choosing an aggregator
| Criterion | What to check | Acceptable 2026 threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | MTN MoMo and Orange Money Cameroon, cards, other CEMAC countries | Both operators plus cards |
| Fees | Rate per method, fixed fees, withdrawal fees | 3.5% maximum all-in |
| Settlement | Delay and frequency to the bank account | 72 h maximum |
| Limits | Maximum mobile money transaction | By operator, often 500,000 to 1,000,000 FCFA |
| Documentation and API | Confirmation webhooks, sandbox | Signed webhooks mandatory |
| Payment links | Sent by email or WhatsApp without coding | Included |
| Support | Local contact, response time | Under 24 business hours |
The integration budget depends mostly on what sits behind the payment.
| Scope | Budget (FCFA) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Payment button and links on an existing site | 800,000 to 1,100,000 (about 1,000 to 1,400 GBP) | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Payment linked to client portal and invoices | 1,100,000 to 1,600,000 (about 1,400 to 2,000 GBP) | 3 to 5 weeks |
| Accounting sync, automatic reconciliation, reminders | 1,600,000 to 2,000,000 (about 2,000 to 2,500 GBP) | 5 to 7 weeks |
The BEAC question for foreign sellers
CEMAC foreign exchange rules, applied by the BEAC, govern currency flows. For a London company, the practical points are these: aggregators usually settle in FCFA to an account in the zone, so you need a local entity, a branch or a partner; transfers abroad go through a local bank with supporting documents (invoice, contract) for each operation; and cards paid directly to your UK gateway avoid the issue but exclude mobile money. Check the set-up with a local bank and your accountant before going live.
Mini case study
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Emma, finance director of a London software firm, bills 140 clients in Cameroon for 45 million FCFA a month (about 56,000 GBP) through a Yaoundé subsidiary. 60% of invoices under 1 million FCFA are paid 25 days late on average, for lack of a simple payment method. She integrates an aggregator with the client portal and invoices for 1,400,000 FCFA. Assumption: 35% of small invoices, about 9 million FCFA a month, move to payment links at a negotiated 2.5% rate, or 225,000 FCFA of fees a month. Average payment delay on those invoices drops from 25 to 7 days, freeing about 5.4 million FCFA of cash, and the team saves 2 days of chasing a month, about 120,000 FCFA. At a 12% yearly overdraft cost, 5.4 million freed is worth about 54,000 FCFA a month. Above all, bad debt on these invoices, about 4% or 360,000 FCFA a month, is halved: 180,000 FCFA recovered. Net result: 354,000 FCFA of monthly gains against 225,000 FCFA of fees, so 129,000 FCFA net and payback in about 11 months.
FAQ
CinetPay or Notch Pay: which one?
Both cover MTN MoMo, Orange Money and cards in Cameroon, at 2.5 to 3.5%. Compare on your real volume, settlement delay and webhook quality in the sandbox.
Can we pass the fees on to clients?
In B2B it is possible if your terms allow it, for example a 2% service fee on mobile payments. Many firms absorb it to get paid faster.
What is the mobile money limit per payment?
Limits depend on the operator and account level, often 500,000 to 1,000,000 FCFA per transaction. Above that, offer transfer or card.
Can we receive funds directly in GBP?
Only for international cards through your UK gateway, with 1 to 2% extra FX cost. Mobile money is settled in FCFA within the zone and repatriated by bank transfer.
How long to go live?
Allow 1 to 2 weeks to open the merchant account (legal file, RCCM, tax ID) through your local entity, then 2 to 7 weeks of integration depending on scope.
Let's scope your project. Share your monthly volumes, preferred payment methods and billing software, and we will price the integration between 800,000 and 2,000,000 FCFA with a 2 to 7 week timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
