AGP Executive Report

Economic Agenda: The Okwelians is shaping its 2027 summit around practical public-private partnerships, with investment, green growth, jobs and value chains on the agenda. Urban Development: Cameroon and France’s AFD reviewed city programmes and discussed new projects to strengthen urban resilience. Tourism Investment: Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute laid the foundation stone for a multibillion-franc hotel in Douala, presenting the project as a source of jobs and wider economic activity. Trade Infrastructure: Kribi Container Terminal has begun a CFA21.5 billion expansion to lift capacity by 30%, with completion targeted for late 2027. Industrialisation: Public hearings on Canyon Resources’ proposed alumina refinery are set for October 12–17, as Cameroon seeks to process more bauxite locally; the project’s mine supply schedule remains uncertain. Connectivity: Cameroon approved a US$407 million loan for an upgrade to the Douala–Bangui corridor.

Tourism Investment: Cameroon’s Prime Minister has laid the foundation stone for the multibillion Kempinski Shekinah Palace hotel in Douala, presenting the project as a source of jobs and a boost to the country’s goal of attracting 3.3 million tourists a year. SME Growth: SMEPA is promoting innovation in agriculture, agri-food, construction, health and renewable energy, with support mechanisms and a PROTO Fund aimed at helping small businesses compete. Digital Commerce: Cameroonian-founded SplashArk has launched an app for local sellers and service providers, offering mobile-money payments, bookings and payment protection. Connectivity: CAMTEL and SIC will extend fibre internet across housing estates, with preferential pricing for residents. Regional Trade: A new AfDB-backed project will support small traders and improve border commerce along the Douala-Bangui and Douala-Kousséri corridors. Industrial Expansion: Cameroon is advancing a Lomié timber hub with the potential to create 12,000 jobs.

Digital Connectivity: CAMTEL and SIC will extend fibre broadband across existing and future housing estates, with discounted service for residents. Cross-Border Trade: Cameroon launched an AfDB-backed AfCFTA project to support small traders, especially women and young people, along the Douala–Bangui and Douala–Kousséri corridors. Finance: Emrald Securities Services has entered Cameroon’s microfinance market through ESS Finance. Across CEMAC, average lending costs fell to 10.94% in the second quarter; Cameroon recorded the bloc’s lowest rate, 8.31%. Power and Industry: The government aims to connect 150 MW of new industrial demand, which could add nearly CFAF4 billion in monthly electricity revenue. Agriculture: A nationwide soil-testing drive will map land fertility to help farmers choose suitable crops and use inputs more effectively. Local Processing: Entrepreneur Frédérique Zam-Ntolo is developing a fruit-jam business using local produce and spices, with plans to create jobs and expand domestic processing.

Power & Industry: Cameroon is targeting CFAF4bn in monthly electricity revenue by connecting about 150MW of new industrial demand, especially around Douala, as state utility SOCADEL tackles debt exceeding CFAF800bn. Timber Processing: A planned Lomié wood park has attracted interest from 241 businesses and could create 3,615 direct and 8,500 indirect jobs by expanding local processing. Agribusiness: State-owned CDC posted a CFAF20bn loss in 2025; payroll consumed 99.5% of its revenue and liabilities reached CFAF44bn. Cocoa prices have climbed 95% since March, potentially lifting Cameroon’s export earnings, though weather threatens output. Manufacturing Finance: Afreximbank extended steelmaker Prometal a €40m working-capital facility. Trade & Public Finance: Cameroon-Nigeria border trade is rebounding as security improves, while public debt has risen to CFAF15.6tn and fuel subsidies are adding pressure to the 2026 budget.

Electricity & Industry: Cameroon targets about CFAF4bn in extra monthly power revenue by connecting roughly 150MW of new industrial demand, with transmission and distribution works around Douala under the 2026-2028 power sector restructuring that follows Eneo’s shift to SOCADEL. Timber Value-Add: Cameroon is advancing the Lomié SMEs Wood’s Park to boost local timber processing, with plans for 241 SMEs/artisans and up to 12,000 jobs (direct and indirect). Public Finance Pressure: Cameroon’s CDC posted a CFA20.04bn net loss in 2025, with personnel costs rising to nearly 99.5% of revenue, while tax and social liabilities hit CFA44.04bn. Health & Illicit Trade: A UN/WHO/CEMAC report warns medicine trafficking is a major public health threat, citing 251 tonnes seized across CEMAC states from 2020-2025. Trade & Jobs: Cameroon is pushing the Lomié timber hub model as part of broader industrialization and export-linked job creation. Regional Finance: FAGACE gets an A+ long-term rating from Bloomfield, highlighting stronger governance and risk management as guarantee commitments surge. Business & Payments: Cameroon’s Boissons du Cameroun–Guinness merger is approved for January 1, 2027, aiming for one legal structure, better distribution, and continued jobs. Security & Shipping: Separate reports highlight attacks in the Strait of Hormuz injuring seafarers, underscoring ongoing risks to maritime commerce.

Public Health Watch: A new UN report warns that medicine trafficking is a major threat across CEMAC, driven by gaps in access to safe, affordable drugs; authorities seized at least 251 tonnes of medicines in Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon between 2020 and 2025, including counterfeit and unapproved products that can cause treatment failures, poisonings and avoidable deaths. Cross-Border Trade: Cameroon’s Far North is seeing a revival of Cameroon–Nigeria border trade after security improvements since 2019, with truckers reporting safer routes and renewed customs activity—though they still stress careful timing and night movement risks. Education & Mobility: Nigeria’s UTME overseas footprint is set to expand, with debate sparked by plans for a new Ottawa centre; the current list includes Buea (Cameroon) and other foreign cities, with only 379 registered for 2026 across 10 centres. Business & Innovation: Cameroonian-born tech entrepreneur Marvin Mvondo has launched SplashArk, a free app aimed at helping informal sellers and creators get paid in one place. Regional Security: UN-backed reporting also highlights how illicit recruitment and trafficking networks exploit digital platforms and conflict economies, including recruitment tied to Russia’s war effort.

Cameroon–Nigeria trade: Cross-border commerce between Nigeria’s north and Cameroon’s Far North is rebounding since 2019 as security improves along the corridor, with truckers reporting safer routes and renewed customs revenue—though they still prefer daytime travel and avoid breakdowns at night. Automotive skills: Cameroon is entering a new phase of automotive training and certification under MINEFOP and CRAMA, adding work-study, distance learning and technical simulators, plus harmonized qualifications to boost employability and support youth entrepreneurship. Cocoa market access: The Cameroon National Shippers’ Council is inviting cocoa firms and shippers to the 2026 Chocolate & Pastry Expo in Tunisia (Nov 19–21) to expand market opportunities and partnerships. Telecoms deal watch: MTN’s bid to acquire IHS is moving forward with key regulatory permissions secured, including conditional approvals in Nigeria and progress in South Africa—potentially reshaping tower infrastructure across the region. Public finance pressure: Cameroon’s public debt is back in focus after reports put it at 15,607 billion FCFA, with the IMF warning of high fiscal risk and urging tighter fuel subsidy controls. Court update: The Martinez Zogo trial is set to resume at the Yaoundé Military Court, with testimony continuing around a phone linked to Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga. Digital commerce: Cameroonian startup lensX has launched an Alibaba-style marketplace for African businesses and vendors, aiming to formalize online selling beyond social media channels. Health & jobs: IHS Cameroon and Orange are training over 200 young women through the DIGIT4HER scheme, targeting digital, financial and entrepreneurial skills for employability.

Debt Watch: Cameroon’s public debt has climbed to 15,607 billion FCFA (about 44.2% of GDP) by mid-2026, as new borrowing commitments pile up to fund infrastructure, clear arrears and meet obligations—prompting fresh IMF scrutiny. Telecom & Investment: MTN says it has cleared key regulatory hurdles to acquire IHS, with conditional approvals secured in Nigeria and South Africa, setting up a wider pan-African tower consolidation. Digital Skills for Women: IHS Cameroon and Orange launch DIGIT4HER, training 200 young women in Buea, Dschang and Ngaoundere with digital, financial and entrepreneurial skills. Startup & Trade: Cameroonian startup lensX rolls out an Alibaba-style marketplace for African businesses, starting in Cameroon and eyeing broader expansion. Agro-Industry Push: Anbuco Farm’s Parian-Cam project in Bokaga-Bokito targets food security and value addition by processing plantain, cassava and moringa to cut post-harvest losses. Energy Finance: Afreximbank extends a EUR 40m revolving working capital facility to Prometal SA to boost steel production and meet rising demand. Security Funding: Experts warn MNJTF funding is running short as violence around Lake Chad rises, with Nigeria carrying a large share of costs. Court Update: The Martinez Zogo trial resumes at the Yaoundé Military Court, with a phone linked to Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga again in focus.

Public Finance Watch: Cameroon’s public debt has surged to 15.607 trillion FCFA (about $23.7bn) by mid-2026, with debt-to-GDP rising to 44.2%, as the IMF warns of high risk and the government continues borrowing to fund infrastructure and cover budget gaps. Energy & Telecoms: MTN says it has cleared key regulatory hurdles to advance its IHS tower deal, securing conditional approvals in South Africa and Nigeria as it targets deal completion by year-end. Trade & Payments: REasy and Africa Global Logistics launched a one-stop pilot in Douala to help small importers pay suppliers and ship goods from China in consolidated containers, aiming to cut intermediaries. Industrial Finance: Afreximbank extended a EUR 40m revolving working capital facility to Prometal SA to scale steel processing and meet rising demand. Road & Corridor Funding: President Paul Biya authorised two loans—€347.5m World Bank for the Douala-Bangui corridor and €212.35m Islamic Development Bank for the Douala-Bafoussam highway. Humanitarian Support: The UN released $160m emergency aid, including funding for Cameroon amid severe crises.

Public Finance: Cameroon’s public debt stock has climbed to about 15,607 billion FCFA (44.2% of GDP at end-June), with the IMF warning of high risk and renewed debate on what the borrowing is financing and how it will be managed. Telecom & Courts: MTN Cameroon reported a sharp fall in court-restricted cash to around CFAF 2.34 billion at end-December 2025, down from about CFAF 4.93 billion a year earlier, tied to garnishee orders in ongoing cases. Trade & Payments: REasy and AGL launched a pilot one-stop payment and logistics service for small importers buying from China, aiming to cut intermediaries by linking supplier payments to consolidated shipping into Cameroon. Infrastructure Loans: President Biya authorised major external financing: a World Bank loan for the Douala–Bangui corridor and an Islamic Development Bank deal to rehabilitate the Douala–Bafoussam highway. Industrial Finance: Afreximbank extended a EUR 40m revolving working capital facility to Prometal SA to boost steel production and meet rising demand. Energy Diplomacy: Algeria’s Sonelgaz signed MoUs with Senelec in Senegal, adding to its expanding West Africa footprint and reigniting energy-sovereignty debates. Humanitarian Support: The UN released $160m from CERF for severe crises, including Cameroon. Food & Agribusiness: Anbuco Farm’s Parian-Cam backs local processing of staples (plantain, maize, cassava) plus moringa to reduce losses and improve supply for local and regional markets.

Sports Funding Transparency: A new “Locker Room Bonus” model is being highlighted as a fix for delayed and mismanaged sponsor payments that leave athletes unpaid, with the approach already operating across several African leagues including Cameroon. Basketball Development: The NBA has closed its Africa Academy Africa in Senegal after eight years, ending a pipeline that produced players including Cameroonian Ulrich Kamka Chomche. Banking & Industry Finance: Afreximbank extended a EUR 40m revolving working capital facility to Cameroon’s Prometal SA to expand steel processing and meet rising demand. Public Finance & Infrastructure: President Paul Biya authorised two loans—$391m from the World Bank for the Douala-Bangui corridor and about $239m from the Islamic Development Bank for the Douala-Bafoussam highway—aimed at upgrading regional trade routes. IMF Fiscal Pressure: The IMF says Cameroon is likely to miss its 2026 deficit target as fuel subsidies weigh on the budget, urging stronger revenue, tighter spending, and better-targeted subsidies. Digital Connectivity: CAMTEL and SPIN Gabon agreed on the CAB-CORRIDOR plan to boost cross-border fiber links across CEMAC, with execution steps due in October 2026. Humanitarian Aid: The UN released $160m from its emergency fund, including $6m for Cameroon, to support crisis-hit communities.

World Bank Financing: President Paul Biya signed decrees authorising a €347.5m World Bank loan for the Douala–Bangui Economic Corridor and a €212.35m Islamic Development Bank deal to rehabilitate the Douala–Bafoussam highway, as Cameroon ramps up borrowing to modernise trade routes. IMF Fuel Subsidy Pressure: An IMF post-financing mission warns Cameroon’s budget deficit is likely to miss the 2026 target, citing higher fuel subsidies linked to oil-price shocks, alongside calls for stronger revenue, tighter spending and better-targeted support. Afreximbank for Industry: Afreximbank extended a EUR 40m revolving working-capital facility to Prometal SA to boost steel processing and finished-product output for construction, infrastructure and agriculture. Digital Connectivity: CAMTEL and SPIN Gabon agreed on the CAB-CORRIDOR push to expand cross-border terrestrial fibre links across Cameroon, Gabon and Congo, with operational steps due in October 2026. Energy Diplomacy: Algeria’s Sonelgaz signed MoUs with Senegal’s Senelec, extending its West Africa expansion—an energy partnership move that could shape regional competition and gas infrastructure plans. Cultural Heritage & Provenance: Nine Swiss museums received CHF 100,000 to investigate the provenance of 6,300+ Cameroon objects, with research planned for 2027–2028 and expected Cameroonian community involvement. Public Health Aid: The UN released $160m from its emergency fund for 12 underfunded crises, including Cameroon, plus extra support for people with disabilities. Urban Sanitation: Maroua received a mechanical street sweeper to strengthen waste management and keep upgraded roads and market areas clean.

Cameroon Budget & Fuel Subsidies: An IMF post-financing mission says Cameroon is set to miss its 2026 deficit target of 1.7% of GDP, warning of a “moderate deterioration” driven by the cost of fuel subsidies as oil-price shocks bite. Roads & PPP Fallout: Tollcam’s automated toll-road PPP remains financially stuck after the collapse, with the firm still owing Fayat about CFA3.1 billion, according to disclosed accounts. Regional Connectivity: CAMTEL and SPIN Gabon agreed a roadmap to expand Central Africa’s fiber links under the CAB-CORRIDOR initiative, aiming to deepen CEMAC digital integration by October 2026. Security in the Far North: Cameroon plans to reinforce Lake Chad security with a new elite BIR unit as Boko Haram attacks intensify, following a field mission and emergency support in affected areas. Cultural Heritage & Provenance: Nine Swiss museums received CHF100,000 to investigate the origin and acquisition of 6,300+ objects from Cameroon, with research planned for 2027–2028 and expected collaboration with Cameroonian communities. Telecom Dispute: Viettel Global has asked President Paul Biya to protect its claimed 70% stake in Nexttel operator Viettel Cameroon amid an eight-year ownership dispute with Baba Danpullo. Urban Sanitation: In Maroua, a mechanical street sweeper was handed to the city council to boost waste collection and cleanliness along upgraded roads and market areas.

Security & Crime: Police in Nairobi arrested 14 suspects, including three serving officers, in a fake currency and gold scam raid, recovering sealed pallets with suspected counterfeit US$100 notes alongside cement. Public Finance & Banking: Cameroon’s Commercial Bank (CBC) saw its balance sheet shrink by CFA43.49bn in August, while pledged collateral for refinancing rose sharply—an indicator of tighter funding conditions. Energy & Consumer Protection: CSPH installed a domestic gas control checkpoint in Sombo (Centre Region) to improve traceability, curb fraud and strengthen monitoring of cooking gas and petroleum flows. Health & Development: Cameroon and the US formalised a $850m health partnership framework through 2030, with the US to provide about $400m and Cameroon co-investing up to $450m. Food Safety: Researchers detected six heavy metals in chicken and egg samples from Cameroon’s main poultry regions, raising fresh questions on controls despite limited sampling. Business & Industry: Prometal secured a €40m Afreximbank working-capital facility to fund raw-material purchases and expand steel output. Governance & Economy: BEAC reported CEMAC banks’ non-performing loan ratio fell to 15.4% by end-June 2026, signaling improving credit quality. Tech & Entrepreneurship: Cameroon International Tech Summit 2026 (Oct 15–17, Yaounde) will focus on youth skills, startups, digital services and green innovation. Culture & Heritage: Nine Swiss museums will investigate the provenance of 6,300+ objects from Cameroon amid growing repatriation scrutiny.

Public Finance & Banking: Cameroon is updating a near-CFA 1tn census of public administration deposits held by commercial banks to decide what can be moved into the Treasury Single Account, aiming for better cash visibility and control. Health Partnership: Cameroon and the U.S. formalised an about $850m (CFA510bn) health programme through 2030, with the U.S. pledging $400m and Cameroon co-investing up to $450m. Energy Costs: Cameroon’s diesel import cost jumped 49% in three months to CFA974.93/litre, widening the gap with the regulated pump price of CFA828 as state support in the pricing structure rose sharply. Industrial Finance: Afreximbank approved a €40m (CFA26.2bn) revolving working-capital facility for Prometal to fund raw-material purchases and expand steel operations. Investment Incentives: Douala’s Kam Plaza Hotel project (CFA2.81bn) secured investment incentives targeting 82 direct jobs. CEMAC Banking Health: BEAC reported CEMAC banks’ non-performing loan ratio fell to 15.4% at end-June 2026 from 17.4% a year earlier. Tech & Jobs: The Cameroon International Tech Summit 2026 (Oct 15–17, Yaounde) will focus on youth skills, startups, digital services/outsourcing, and green innovation. Food Safety: A study found six heavy metals in chicken and egg samples from Cameroon poultry farms, raising food-safety control questions.

Public Finance Overhaul: Cameroon has started an updated census of nearly CFAF 1tn in public administration deposits held by commercial banks, aiming to decide which funds can be moved into the Treasury Single Account (TSA) for better cash visibility. SME Anti-Corruption Push: SME Promotion Agency (SMEPA) installed a new anti-corruption committee with support from CONAC, signaling tighter integrity and service delivery for SMEs. Energy & Cost Pressures: Cameroon’s diesel import cost jumped 49% in three months to CFA974.93/liter, widening the gap with the regulated pump price; meanwhile, authorities set a 200-ton daily LPG supply target for Yaounde to ease cooking gas shortages. Industrial Financing: Afreximbank approved a €40m revolving working-capital facility for Prometal SA to secure steel raw-material imports; the same week, a CFAF 2.81bn Kam Plaza Hotel project in Douala won investment incentives targeting 82 jobs. Transport Execution: The Public Works Minister inspected National Road No. 5 (Douala–Bekoko–Nkam Bridge) and ordered rapid damage surveys and emergency maintenance options. Security: Cameroon plans to reinforce Lake Chad security with a new elite BIR unit as Boko Haram threats persist.