3, February 2026
Sonara turns to Dangote for funding, fuel supply as debt pressures mount 0
Cameroon’s national oil refinery Sonara has opened discussions with Nigeria’s Dangote Group as it looks for financing and supply solutions to support its long-delayed restart, against the backdrop of a CFA479 billion debt burden.
From January 20 to 23, 2026, a Sonara delegation led by Chief Executive Officer El Hadj Bako Harouna traveled to Lagos to meet members of the management team of the Dangote refinery. The talks focused on potential financial backing and technical support as part of Sonara’s broader recovery strategy.
Sonara said the visit aimed to lay the groundwork for a lasting technical and commercial partnership that would help secure Cameroon’s fuel supply, ensure adequate domestic consumption, and support the country’s push toward energy independence.
Fuel supply and loans at the core of Sonara’s recovery plan
In the short term, Sonara is seeking to negotiate fuel supply arrangements with the Dangote refinery while also exploring the possibility of a loan from the group controlled by Aliko Dangote. These discussions are part of Sonara’s “Parras 24” recovery plan, which targets a return to refining within 24 months and is estimated by the company at CFA291.9 billion.
The first phase of the plan is scheduled for 2026–2027 and focuses on rehabilitating facilities damaged in the 2019 fire that shut down the refinery. Any deeper involvement by Dangote, however, remains tied to progress in restructuring Sonara’s debt, which stands at CFA479 billion and is owed mainly to banks and fuel traders.
Since 2022, debt servicing has been supported by a state-backed mechanism that levies CFA47.8 on every liter of fuel sold at the pump. The measure is intended to stabilize repayments and remains in place pending full implementation of the recovery plan and subsequent modernization phases.
Multiple financiers, BEAC option still on the table
Dangote is not the only potential source of funding. Several lenders and partners have expressed interest in the Sonara file, including the Union of Arab and French Banks, Dutch bank ING, Mauritius Commercial Bank, Cameroon’s National Hydrocarbons Corporation, and the Ariana/RCG consortium.
The Bank of Central African States has also indicated its willingness to step in through its “window B,” which is reserved for refinancing medium-term loans tied to productive investment. The regional central bank has said it could cover up to 60% of Sonara’s financing needs.
In the near term, Dangote’s most immediate role could be as a strategic supplier. With Sonara still offline, Cameroon relies entirely on imports to meet domestic fuel demand. According to the Finance Ministry’s latest economic outlook, the country imported CFA333.7 billion worth of fuels and lubricants in the first half of 2025, representing about 899,000 tons supplied to the local market.
Source: Business in Cameroon
3, February 2026
Southern Cameroons: sharp rise in casualties linked to improvised explosive devices 0
Cameroon recorded a sharp rise in casualties linked to improvised explosive devices in 2025. Figures released on January 29, 2026, during the 16th session of the National Commission in charge of combating the use of IEDs show that 99 people were affected last year, compared with 19 in 2024, an increase of 421%.
The toll highlights the scale of the threat across the country. The North-West, South-West, and Far North regions accounted for most incidents, with 36, 30, and 33 victims respectively in 2025. The figures include civilians as well as members of the defense and security forces, underlining the indiscriminate nature of these homemade devices.
In the North-West and South-West, insecurity is linked to the sociopolitical crisis that began in late 2016 and escalated into an armed conflict in 2017 between separatist groups and state forces. In the Far North, pressure remains driven by incursions by Boko Haram since Cameroon declared war on the group in 2014. In these areas, IEDs have become “the weapon of choice for terrorist groups,” according to Brigadier General Elokobi Daniel Njock, central director for coordination at the National Gendarmerie.
In response to this trend, the commission, created in 2022 by the Presidency, issued several recommendations. These include strengthening the operational capacities of the defense and security forces through modern equipment for IED detection and neutralization, stepping up national and cross-border coordination, particularly in the Far North, to disrupt explosive supply networks, and improving medical care for the injured as well as psychosocial support for security personnel and affected communities.
Multilateral, bilateral, and subregional partners
In the fight against IEDs, Cameroon relies on multilateral, bilateral, and subregional partnerships. Working with the United Nations system, including the United Nations Mine Action Service, the country says it has obtained an initial UN level 1 certification in IED-related training.
France and the United States also support Cameroon through training and equipment. At the subregional level, engagement includes participation in the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic and the Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram.
Authorities also say the country has a specialized laboratory, dedicated IED neutralization equipment, and trained specialists who are regularly deployed nationwide and in external operations. They stress that countering IEDs is a permanent challenge requiring constant adaptation to armed groups’ tactics, ongoing strengthening of human and material capacities, and greater public awareness of the risks.
Source: Business in Cameroon