West Africa is usually waved away with "they all need a CoC". Check it properly and the three countries differ on the name of the scheme, who issues it, and in one case whether a certificate is required at all. Quote on the wrong assumption and the car comes back from the port.
Two countries have a clear regime: Cameroon (PECAE, run by ANOR) and Côte d'Ivoire (VoC, run by the DGCE at the Ministry of Trade). Senegal has no official basis for a mandatory CoC that we could find — the certificate that does exist is the BSC cargo tracking note. Vehicle age rules also differ in all three, so one sentence cannot cover them.
✓Complete vehicles into Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire
Both have a published regime and a named list of authorised agencies; certificates can be obtained before sailing
!Senegal
Do not write "no CoC, no clearance" — ask the Dakar agent for the documents actually used on a recent clearance first
×Treating BSC or BESC as a CoC
One is a cargo tracking note, the other a product conformity certificate; you need both, and missing either stops clearance
The three side by side
| Country | Scheme | Who issues | Used-vehicle points |
|---|
| Cameroon | PECAE (under ANOR) | SGS / Intertek / TÜV Rheinland issue an AC in the export country; ANOR converts it into a CoC | No official nationwide age limit; confirm in writing before shipment |
| Senegal | BSC cargo tracking note (verified by COSEC) | Applied for on the COSEC platform | No official basis found for a CoC requirement; follow what the Dakar agent confirms |
| Côte d'Ivoire | VoC (DGCE / CODINORM) | BV, Cotecna, Intertek and SGS issue the CoC directly in the export country | 15 categories mandatory from 1 July 2026; whether complete used vehicles are included needs written confirmation |
Cameroon is the only one of the three with two issuing layers: the agency can only issue an AC, which then goes back to ANOR for conversion into a CoC. In Côte d'Ivoire the four agencies issue directly, with no ministry step. Same region, not the same procedure.
Three documents that get confused
- ✓BESC / ECTN mixed up with a CoC — one is a cargo tracking note, the other a product conformity certificate, and both are required
- ✓Cameroon still asking for a DI number — since ANOR's notice of 6 October 2026 the GUCE-issued IM Number is used instead
- ✓Côte d'Ivoire judged only on "complete vehicle" — the official list of 15 categories names spare parts and used goods, not whole vehicles
Verified on 5 November 2026: Cameroon from ANOR's notice of 6 October 2026, Côte d'Ivoire from Avis n° 29/MCIA/DGCE (effective 1 July 2026), Senegal limited to the BSC, which is the only part with an official basis. West African rules change often — have the local agent issue a current document checklist before booking. Last verified: 5 November 2026.
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