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Cameroon Moves to Formalize Incubator at Ambam Agriculture School

Cameroon’s Ministry of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts (MINPMEESA) and the Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Forestry (CAPEF) signed a partnership agreement to formalize incubation activities at the Practical School of Agriculture and Wood of Ambam (EPABA), also known as EPABA Business Lab. The agreement was signed on July 17, 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen rural entrepreneurship and support the emergence of small and medium-sized enterprises across strategic value chains, notably the agriculture, livestock, fisheries and forestry sectors. According to the CAPEF, under the partnership, EPABA will host an incubation system designed to assist…
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Major Delays Threaten Completion of Key Yaoundé Highway Expansion

The expansion of Yaoundé's northern entry road has fallen significantly behind schedule, raising fresh uncertainty over the completion of one of Cameroon's most important urban transport projects. As of July 14, 2026, the project was 25.86% complete even though 89.11% of the contractual construction period had already elapsed, according to the Ministry of Public Works. The gap of more than 63 percentage points has prompted the ministry to call on contractor Arab Contractors to step up work on the highway linking the Olembé district to the Obala interchange. Construction has nevertheless advanced on several sections of the project. Workers have…
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CDEC Challenges CEMAC Banking Oversight, Reaffirms Appeal Before CEMAC Court

Cameroon's Deposit and Consignment Fund (CDEC) has renewed its opposition to a CEMAC regulation that places parts of its activities under the supervision of the Central African Banking Commission (COBAC), arguing that the measure is already the subject of an annulment case before the CEMAC Court of Justice. The public institution issued the statement in response to a July 15 article published by the state-owned newspaper Cameroon Tribune, which presented the regulation as setting new operating rules for deposit and consignment funds across the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC). According to the newspaper, the regulation classifies some of…
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Cameroon Opens Talks With MSC's Port Arm to Advance Limbe Deep-Sea Port

Cameroon has opened discussions with Terminal Investment Limited (TIL), the port operating company closely linked to Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), as it seeks to move the long-delayed Limbe deep-sea port project toward implementation. Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute met a TIL delegation in Yaoundé on July 15 to discuss the project. Based in Switzerland, TIL specializes in the development, acquisition and operation of container terminals worldwide. Through its close ties to MSC, one of the world's largest shipping companies, TIL could bring not only technical expertise and investment capacity but also access to the group's global maritime network. Following the…
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Mboa Jeunes Créatifs Selects 48 Cameroonian Entrepreneurs for Incubation

Forty-eight young Cameroonian entrepreneurs have been selected for the incubation phase of Mboa Jeunes Créatifs, a program promoting youth entrepreneurship and job creation. They were officially presented at a ceremony in Yaoundé on July 17. The selection was conducted through REJEUNES-DY, a project supporting youth employability, economic empowerment and civic engagement in Yaoundé and Douala. Cameroun Entreprises Développement (CED) implements the project in partnership with the Institut Européen de Coopération et de Développement (IECD) as part of Mboa Jeunes Créatifs, which is financed by the Fonds Équipe France. Program Selects 48 Entrepreneurs From 1,240 Applicants Organizers received 1,240 applications from…
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Treasury Advances Deepen Cameroon’s Payment Arrears, Now at CFA1 Trillion

Cameroon has acknowledged that its growing use of Treasury advances to finance off-budget spending is contributing to the accumulation of unpaid government bills, highlighting a structural weakness in the country's public financial management. In its 2027-2029 Economic and Budgetary Programming Document (DPEB), the government said it intends to reduce reliance on these cash advances in an effort to slow the buildup of outstanding payment obligations, commonly referred to as the floating debt. As of the end of March 2026, outstanding payment arrears stood at CFA1.026 trillion ($1.8 billion). Of that amount, CFA452.5 billion, or about 44%, consisted of invoices that…
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New AfDB Financing for Cameroon Totals CFA833.8B Since 2023; Portfolio Disbursement at 26%

Since the launch of its Country Strategy Paper 2023-2028, the African Development Bank has approved eight new operations in Cameroon worth a combined 833.8 billion CFA francs. That represents 67.9% of the 1,227.5 billion CFA francs set out in the strategy’s initial indicative program, according to a calculation based on data published by the pan-African institution on July 17, 2026. Disbursements across the broader active portfolio remain low, however. The portfolio stood at 1,629.2 billion CFA francs and had a cumulative disbursement rate of 26%, according to a joint review presented in Yaoundé on July 14, 2026. That rate covers…
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Cameroon, Swiss Terminal Operator Explore Options for Limbe Deep Seaport

The Cameroonian government and Swiss-based Terminal Investment Limited, TIL, have begun examining options for the development, modernization and operation of the future Limbe Deep Seaport. Initial discussions were held during a working session chaired by Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute in Yaoundé on July 15, 2026. The discussions brought together senior government officials and representatives of the global terminal operator to assess possible technical and investment models for the project, which authorities view as a strategic addition to Cameroon’s maritime infrastructure and logistics network. The meeting focused on how the proposed deep-water port could support industrial activity, trade flows and…
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Douala Workshop Trains SME Support Agencies on EU Export Rules

A regional initiative aimed at helping Central African agrifood businesses access the European market has trained officials and support actors responsible for accompanying small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, on compliance with European sanitary and phytosanitary standards. The capacity-building workshop was organized in Douala on July 14 and 15, 2026, by the Programme for Support to Regional Integration and Investment in Central Africa, PAIRIAC, financed by the European Union. The training focused on strengthening the ability of institutions across the Central African region to guide SMEs in meeting European Union requirements governing agricultural and agrifood imports. According to organizers, many agricultural…
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SNH Profit Falls 41% as Core Business Remains in the Red

Cameroon's National Hydrocarbons Corporation (SNH) reported a 41.3% drop in net profit in 2025, despite posting slightly higher revenue, as weaker operating performance continued to weigh on its results. The company's standalone financial statements show that SNH remained loss-making in its core operations, with overall profitability once again supported mainly by income from investments and equity holdings. Revenue rose 6.1% to CFA5.55 billion in 2025 from CFA5.23 billion a year earlier, driven almost entirely by higher sales of manufactured products. The increase, however, was not enough to offset rising operating costs. Value added fell 35.6% to CFA9.05 billion, while earnings…
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Study Says BEAC Needs Emergency Liquidity Tool for Geopolitical Shocks

The Bank of Central African States (BEAC) should create an emergency liquidity facility worth CFA1.7 trillion to CFA2.3 trillion to protect financing for essential imports during global geopolitical shocks, according to a new study. The proposed facility would finance critical imports such as food, fuel, and pharmaceuticals during periods of severe international disruption. The suggested size of the fund corresponds to the $3 billion to $4 billion recommended by the authors, or roughly 2% to 3% of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community's (CEMAC) gross domestic product. The CFA franc equivalent is approximate and depends on the exchange rate used. The…
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Higher Timber Export Taxes Cut Cameroon's Customs Revenue by CFA7.9 Billion

Cameroon's strategy of discouraging raw log exports through higher export taxes is beginning to weigh on customs revenue, highlighting the short-term cost of the country's push to build a stronger domestic wood-processing industry. According to the Ministry of Finance's 2027-2029 Medium-Term Economic and Budgetary Programming Document, export duties collected from the timber sector fell by CFA7.9 billion in 2025, a 21.3% decline from the previous year. The drop stands in contrast to the overall performance of customs revenue, which rose by CFA96.6 billion, or 9.1%, to CFA1.153 trillion in 2025. The timber sector was therefore one of the main factors…
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AfDB Approves $94 Million to Expand Irrigation in Northern Cameroon

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved an €81.2 million ($94 million) loan to help Cameroon develop irrigation infrastructure in its northern region, supporting a broader strategy to strengthen agricultural production and climate resilience. Combined with an expected €7.54 million ($8.7 million) contribution from the Cameroonian government, the first phase of the Northern Agro-Industrial Development Program (PDAS-1) will cost €88.74 million (about $103 million). The financing, approved on July 13, 2026, will fund the construction of three multi-purpose hillside dams and the development of 618 hectares of irrigated farmland. According to a procurement notice published by Cameroon’s Public Procurement Regulatory Agency in March, the…
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CEMAC Banks' Demand for BEAC Liquidity Climbs Further After Policy Easing

Demand for Bank of Central African States (BEAC) liquidity continued to rise after the central bank eased monetary policy. Once again, commercial banks requested more funds than the central bank made available. Banks requested CFA535.5 billion during the BEAC's weekly liquidity injection on July 14, 2026. Despite increasing the amount offered to CFA500 billion, the central bank was unable to meet CFA35.5 billion of demand from banks operating across Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, and the Central African Republic. Demand for BEAC refinancing has now increased in three consecutive auctions. Banks requested CFA400 billion on…
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Algeria’s Madar Seeks Cameroon Coffee Suppliers to Expand Existing Trade

Algeria’s state-owned Madar Holding explores new coffee supply agreements in Cameroon as it seeks to expand an existing trade flow between the two countries. Madar Chief Executive Officer Adel Khemane held meetings in Douala on July 9, 2026, with Cameroon’s National Cocoa and Coffee Board and the Cocoa and Coffee Interprofessional Council. The discussions focused on identifying suppliers and examining the terms of possible commercial agreements for the Algerian market. No volumes, prices, contract values, or delivery schedules were disclosed, meaning the initiative remains a commercial prospecting effort rather than a firm purchase commitment. The meetings followed talks held a…
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Cameroon Installs New Leadership to Shape State-Owned Bank's Future

Two months after acquiring Société Générale Cameroun, the Cameroonian government has completed another step in reshaping the lender by appointing the leadership team of the newly renamed General Bank of Cameroon (GBC). Meeting in Yaoundé on July 15, the bank's board appointed Ezéchiel Passam Mukwade as chairman and named Victor Noumoué chief executive officer. Jean-Michel Ondo and Roland Firmin Same Dikongue were appointed deputy chief executive officers. The appointments follow the completion of the government's acquisition on May 12 of the 58.08% stake previously held by France's Société Générale. Already the owner of a 25.60% stake, the Cameroonian state now…
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Cameroon Eyes Nearly CFA1 Trillion From Five Mining Projects, Gold Reform

Cameroon expects close to one trillion CFA francs in the short term thanks to five major mining projects and a broad restructuring of its gold sector. The measures were presented during a joint press briefing in Yaounde on July 15 by the Acting Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Fuh Calistus Gentry, and the Minister of Communication and Government Spokesperson, René Emmanuel Sadi. The five flagship projects cover iron ore, bauxite, marble and gold. They are namely the Bipindi-Grand-Zambi and Kribi-Lobé iron ore projects, the Minim-Martap bauxite project, the Bidzar marble project and the Colomine industrial gold mining project.…
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At N’Djamena Forum, Cameroon Pitches Nearly $4bn Water Compact

Cameroon presented its nearly $4 billion national Water Compact at the African Water Forum in N’Djamena, Chad, on July 15, outlining the investments and reforms it plans to implement to strengthen water security. Water and Energy Minister Gaston Eloundou Essomba attended the forum as the personal representative of the head of state. Addressing African ministers, development institutions and financial partners, he said Cameroon had secured about 30% of the financing required for the program and was in discussions to mobilize an additional amount equivalent to 30% of its estimated cost. He called on development partners to help finance the remaining investments,…
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Cameroon, EU Open Applications for CFA9.8 Billion Business Support Program

The European Union and Cameroon have launched a call for proposals under the Program to Support Economic Development through the Promotion of Value Chains and Private Initiative (PAD-CV). The initiative is open to entrepreneurs, cooperatives and Common Initiative Groups operating in strategic sectors across five regions. The call was launched in Yaoundé on July 15, 2026, at a ceremony chaired by Jean Tchoffo, secretary-general of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development. Backed by CFA9.84 billion in EU funding, PAD-CV aims to strengthen Cameroon’s private sector and make selected value chains more competitive, sustainable and capable of creating jobs.…
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