The crisis resulted in rising prices in Cameroon, trade deficits, and loss of government revenue.
Civil servants lost access to subsidised electricity, housing, and telephones; parts of the government's vehicle fleet were sold; older civil servants were forced into retirement; the official working schedule was changed; economic missions in foreign embassies from Cameroon were closed; and state and parastatal enterprises were privatised.
[2] By October 1988, the intended effect was less than had been hoped, and Cameroon agreed to an IMF aid package worth $150 million and accepted a structural adjustment program (SAP) loan from the World Bank.
However, the consensus among Cameroonians both at home and overseas is that the economic hardship is as a result of public funds theft by the Biya administration.
Members of his regime constantly steal public funds and build mega structures in other countries such as France without any serious legal action being taken by the Biya administration.