XAF – Central African Franc

Monetary System

1945: 1 Central African CFA franc (XAF) = 100 centimes

Bank of the Central African States
Banque des États de l’Afrique Centrale

The Banque des États de l’Afrique Centrale (French: Bank of the Central African States, BEAC) was created on 22 November 1972 to provide monetary policy including a common banknote series for the countries of the Union Douanière et Économique de l’Afrique Centrale (UDEAC) which includes Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Republic of Congo. In 1999 the UDEAC was superseded by the Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l’Afrique Centrale (CEMAC).
For more information, visit www.beac.int.

2022 Issues

According to an article in Business in Cameroon dated 7 October 2019, the Banque des Etats de l’Afrique Centrale was preparing a new family of notes. The information was revealed in Resolution N°7 of the ordinary meeting of the Central African Monetary Union (UMAC)’s ministerial council, which was held on 2 October 2019, at the bank’s headquarters in Yaounde, Cameroon. The new notes will replace the current notes which have been in circulation since 24 November 2003. On 22 November 2022, the new family of notes was unveiled, and is scheduled for introduction on 15 December 2022.

Description: 500 XAF – Central Africa Franc Size: 125 x 65 mm

Gray, yellow, blue, green, and orange. Front: Arabic and French text; map; denomination as registration device; stylized outline of Africa in diamonds; BEAC headquarters building in Yaounde, Cameroon; CEMAC logo; flowers. Back: French text; irrigation of agricultural field with farmer, tractor, tree, and cattle. Solid security thread with demetalized CEMAC. Watermark: Three eland antelope heads and electrotype 500. Printer: (Unknown). 125 x 65 mm. Composite.

Description: 1,000 XAF – Central Africa Franc Size: 130 x 65 mm

Blue, yellow, red, green, and brown. Front: Arabic and French text; map; denomination as registration device; stylized outline of Africa in diamonds; BEAC headquarters building in Yaounde, Cameroon; CEMAC logo; flowers. Back: French text; woman health care provider examining screen while patient lies in bed; woman looking through microscope. Solid security thread with demetalized CEMAC. Watermark: Three eland antelope heads and electrotype 1000. Printer: (Unknown). 130 x 65 mm. Composite.

Description: 2,000 XAF – Central Africa Franc Size: 135 x 70 mm

Red, yellow, green, and gray. Front: Arabic and French text; map; denomination as registration device; stylized outline of Africa in diamonds; BEAC headquarters building in Yaounde, Cameroon; CEMAC logo; blue-to-green OVI stars. Back: French text; lush jungle; flying bird. Color-changing windowed security thread with demetalized BEAC 2000. Watermark: Three eland antelope heads and electrotype 2,000. Printer: (Unknown). 135 x 70 mm. Paper.

Description: 5,000 XAF – Central Africa Franc Size: 140 x 74.5 mm

Green, yellow, red, brown, and gray. Front: Arabic and French text; map; denomination as registration device; stylized outline of Africa in diamonds; BEAC headquarters building in Yaounde, Cameroon; CEMAC logo; green-to-gold OVI stars. Back: French text; antelopes, ostriches, and elephants in field with trees. Windowed security thread with demetalized BEAC 5000. Watermark: Three eland antelope heads and electrotype 5,000. Printer: (Unknown). 140 x 74.5 mm. Paper.

Description: 10,000 XAF – Central Africa Franc Size: 145 x 74.5 mm

Purple, yellow, red, green, and orange. Front: Arabic and French text; map; denomination as registration device; stylized outline of Africa in diamonds; BEAC headquarters building in Yaounde, Cameroon; CEMAC logo; purple-to-gold OVI stars. Back: French text; standing teacher instructing seven seated children; young boy with touch-screen tablet. Windowed security thread with demetalized BEAC 10,000. Watermark: Three eland antelope heads and electrotype 10,000. Printer: (Unknown). 145 x 74.5 mm. Paper.

2002 Issues

These notes mark the 30th anniversary of the Brazzaville Accords. They are reduced in size to save money and conform to European standards, and they have enhanced anti-counterfeiting features, such as Omron rings, holographic stripes, and OVI patches. The year is no longer encoded in the serial number.

Description: 500 XAF – Central Africa Franc Size: 130 x 70 mm

Brown. Front: French text; four boys looking at blackboard; young boy. Back: French text; straw huts; woman; goat. Windowed security thread with printed CEMAC. Watermark: Three eland antelope heads and electrotype BEAC. Printer: (François-Charles Oberthur Fiduciaire). 130 x 70 mm. Substrate varieties.

Description: 1,000 XAF – Central Africa Franc Size: 130 x 70 mm

Brown. Front: French text; four boys looking at blackboard; young boy. Back: French text; straw huts; woman; goat. Windowed security thread with printed CEMAC. Watermark: Three eland antelope heads and electrotype BEAC. Printer: (François-Charles Oberthur Fiduciaire). 130 x 70 mm. Substrate varieties.

Description: 2,000 XAF – Central Africa Franc Size: 140 x 75 mm

Pink. Front: French text; hydroelectric dam; young woman. Back: French text; large shovel loading dump truck at mine. Windowed security thread with printed CEMAC. Watermark: Three eland antelope heads and electrotype BEAC. Printer: (François-Charles Oberthur Fiduciaire). 140 x 75 mm. Substrate varieties.

Description: 5,000 XAF – Central Africa Franc Size: 145 x 80 mm

Green and blue. Front: French text; rear of ship; ship at port with three cargo cranes; head of man. Back: French text; pipes at oil refinery. Holographic stripe. Windowed security thread with printed CEMAC. Watermark: Three eland antelope heads and electrotype BEAC. Printer: (Banque de France). 145 x 80 mm. Paper.

Description: 10,000 XAF – Central Africa Franc Size: 150 x 80 mm

Violet. Front: French text; BEAC headquarters building in Yaoundé, Cameroon; young woman with plaits. Back: French text; satellite dish; jumbo jet plane; railroad engine; compass rose. Holographic stripe. Windowed security thread with printed CEMAC. Watermark: Three eland antelope heads and electrotype BEAC. Printer: (Banque de France). 150 x 80 mm. Paper.

Country Codes

The letter at upper left and right front identifies the country in which the note was released into circulation. These country codes changed with this series.

Extras

According to an article in Business in Cameroon dated 7 October 2019, the Banque des États de l’Afrique Centrale is preparing a new family of notes. The information was revealed in Resolution N°7 of the ordinary meeting of the Central African Monetary Union (UMAC)’s ministerial council, which was held on 2 October 2019, at the bank’s headquarters in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The new notes will replace the current notes which have been in circulation since 24 November 2003.