The Bank of Central African States (BEAC) has canceled its 2022 recruitment exam for 45 senior officer posts after an audit uncovered serious irregularities. The ministerial committee of the Central African Monetary Union (UMAC) announced the decision on July 12, 2025, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. The move follows findings from a RSM France audit that exposed multiple failures in the exam’s organization.
Audit Reveals Major Irregularities
The audit showed the process admitted candidates who broke official rules. Some were over the age limit or lacked the required experience. Officials also accepted invalid identity documents and diplomas. The initial screening process failed to filter out unqualified applicants, damaging the recruitment’s credibility.
At the written exam in BEAC’s Yaoundé headquarters, the audit found major blunders. Test subjects in certain specialties were mistakenly printed in Spanish instead of French or English, confusing candidates. Power outages forced candidates to move around, causing delays and disruptions. Recruitment firm AfricSearch representatives were absent in many exam rooms, causing inconsistent supervision. The grading process also contained errors, including mistakes in score calculations.
Two Years of Institutional Deadlock Ended
This cancellation ends over two years of disputes. BEAC leadership under then-governor Abbas Mahamat Tolli clashed with the UMAC committee since 2022. Although BEAC announced the exam results in April 2023, concerns emerged as early as August 2022. Then BEAC board president Hervé Ndoba ordered an immediate halt, fearing damage to the bank’s credibility.
Institutional Stand-Off and Legal Challenges
Governor Tolli defended BEAC’s autonomy, insisting no external body could interfere with the central bank’s operations without breaching independence. Despite this, UMAC suspended recruitment and ordered an audit on October 6, 2022. BEAC’s board countered by pushing the process forward citing internal audits.
Tolli escalated the dispute to the CEMAC Common Court of Justice in N’Djamena, which ruled in his favor in November 2022, affirming BEAC’s sole recruitment authority. The official results followed in April 2023 but were put on hold two months later.
Rising Legal Stakes
The 66 candidates, declared successful in 2023, now organize legally and threaten court action. When Yvon Sana Bangui took over as governor, he prioritized resolving the impasse. On January 29, 2025, he commissioned a new audit that led to the exam’s annulment on July 12.
This cancellation may spark fresh legal challenges from the rejected candidates, many linked to CEMAC leadership. UMAC has ordered BEAC to hold a new, transparent recruitment exam under strict oversight.
This article was initially published in French by BRM
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum