Ngoh Ngoh-Nathalie Moudiki: Cameroon cannot afford governance by rival fiefdoms ⁰

The spectacle unfolding around two competing refinery and oil depot projects is more than a bureaucratic disagreement. It is a disturbing illustration of a governance culture in which competing centers of power appear to be pursuing parallel agendas, with little regard for coherence, transparency or the national interest.

When infrastructure projects worth millions of dollars become associated primarily with the influence of powerful individuals rather than with a clearly articulated national energy strategy, the real loser is Cameroon. Whether one project is perceived to enjoy the backing of Nathalie Moudiki at the Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures (SNH) and the other the support of Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh at the Presidency matters less than the broader institutional failure such perceptions reveal. Public investment should never be reduced to a contest of political patrons.

Cameroon has long spoken of strengthening its refining capacity, improving fuel security and expanding strategic petroleum storage. These are legitimate national priorities that deserve careful planning, rigorous technical evaluation and transparent procurement. Instead, the public is left watching what increasingly resembles a contest between rival power blocs. Such a situation raises uncomfortable questions. Is the country following a single energy policy or are major projects being driven by competing networks of influence? Who ultimately decides national priorities? And on what criteria?

This is not merely an issue of political optics. It is an economic one. Investors seek predictability, consistency and institutional clarity. Development partners expect governments to speak with one voice. When conflicting projects emerge simultaneously without a clear explanation of how they fit within a unified national framework, confidence is inevitably weakened. Every unnecessary duplication, every delay born of institutional rivalry and every opaque decision carries a financial cost that is ultimately borne by Cameroonian taxpayers.

The danger extends beyond wasted resources. Governance based on personalities rather than institutions undermines accountability. Decisions become difficult to scrutinize because they are perceived as reflecting political influence rather than objective analysis. Public officials should compete in delivering better policy outcomes, not in assembling competing infrastructure projects that appear to represent rival camps within the state.

Cameroon deserves better. The country’s energy future should be guided by comprehensive planning, independent technical assessments, environmental considerations, financial sustainability and measurable public benefit. If two refinery or oil depot proposals exist, the government owes citizens a transparent explanation of their respective merits, costs, financing arrangements and strategic objectives. If only one is justified by national demand and fiscal realities, then resources should be concentrated there through an open and accountable decision-making process.

Strong states are distinguished by institutions that outlast individuals. They do not allow strategic sectors such as petroleum to become theatres for elite competition. The Unity Palace, the SNH, the Ministry of Water and Energy and every relevant public institution should be working from the same blueprint, pursuing the same national objectives and communicating with the same clarity.

Cameroon’s greatest development challenge has never been a shortage of ambition. It has been the persistent gap between institutional governance and personal influence. The current confrontation over refinery and oil depot projects, whatever its underlying dynamics, should serve as a wake-up call. National development cannot be built on competing power centers. It requires unity of purpose, transparency in execution and unwavering fidelity to the public interest.

The country’s oil infrastructure is too important to become another chapter in elite rivalry. Cameroon deserves governance that inspires confidence rather than confusion, coordination rather than competition and institutions that serve the nation rather than personalities who seek to define it.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai