Business

12, July 2026

Cameroon cocoa farm gate price rises ⁰

With one week to go before Cameroon’s 2025-2026 cocoa season ends on July 15, trading activity is picking up. Farmgate prices rose by 250 CFA francs per kilogram in two days, reaching their highest level since the season began.

According to data released by the National Cocoa and Coffee Board’s Commodity Information System, cocoa traded at between 2,750 and 2,850 CFA francs per kilogram on July 9, nearing the 3,000 CFA franc mark. On July 7, prices ranged from 2,500 to 2,600 CFA francs per kilogram, according to the same source.

The latest increase may reflect stronger buying activity toward the end of the season, although available data do not yet show how significant it is. More broadly, it continues a recovery that began about two months ago. Despite repeated increases across producing regions, prices remained below 2,000 CFA francs per kilogram until June 22. The 2025-2026 cocoa season officially began in Mbankomo on August 7, 2025.

A Less Favorable International Market

Current prices nevertheless remain far below the records set during the previous two seasons. In the 2024-2025 season, cocoa prices reached as high as 5,400 CFA francs per kilogram. A year earlier, during the 2023-2024 season, prices climbed to about 6,000 CFA francs per kilogram in some producing areas.

Those exceptional prices fueled high expectations for the 2025-2026 season. When the season began, Cameroonian authorities forecast farmgate prices of between 3,200 and 5,400 CFA francs per kilogram. Market conditions, however, proved significantly less favorable than expected.

The gap between the initial forecasts and actual prices is partly attributable to a reversal in the international cocoa market. After supply constraints pushed prices to historic highs, the latest available estimates from the International Cocoa Organization show that the global market moved back into surplus in the 2024-2025 season, following a historic deficit in 2023-2024.

Improved supply conditions, combined with slowing industrial demand in some consumer markets, helped ease upward pressure on prices. The increase recorded in Cameroon toward the end of the 2025-2026 season has provided some relief to farmers, but prices remain well below the exceptional peaks of the previous two seasons.

Source: Business in Cameroon

11, July 2026

Canada positions Cameroon as key CEMAC partner ⁰

Canada wants to expand investment and business partnerships with Cameroon. Officials used this year’s Canada Day celebrations in Yaounde to present the country as a strategic economic partner in Central Africa.

The reception, hosted by the High Commission of Canada on July 8, brought together members of the Cameroonian government, diplomats, parliamentarians and a visiting Canadian parliamentary delegation attending the 51st Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie (APF), which runs in Yaounde until July 12.

Speaking at the official residence of Canada in Yaounde, Canadian High Commissioner Marie-Claude Harvey said Ottawa is stepping up its economic engagement across Africa and sees Cameroon as a key partner because of its strategic location and economic potential.

“Here in Cameroon, we are working with you to strengthen the economy, support entrepreneurship and promote growth that is inclusive, particularly for women. Because investing in people is the best investment there is,” Harvey said.

She added that Canada’s renewed engagement with Africa aims to deepen economic partnerships with countries pursuing sustainable and inclusive growth.

“Thanks to its strategic position in Central Africa, Cameroon is a leading partner. We therefore wish to encourage more investment, innovation and mutually beneficial partnerships between our two countries,” she said.

Harvey also pointed to broader areas of cooperation between the two countries, including education, governance, innovation, entrepreneurship and cultural exchanges, while reaffirming Canada’s commitment to multilateralism at a time of heightened global economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

Parliamentary Delegation Visits Yaounde

The Canada Day celebration coincided with the visit of a high-level Canadian parliamentary delegation led by Marie-France Lalonde, president of the Canadian Branch of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie.

The delegation is taking part in the 51st Session of the APF, where representatives from 99 member sections are meeting to discuss issues including multilateralism, peacebuilding and sustainable development.

“Over the coming days, we will have the opportunity to exchange views with Francophone parliamentarians from every continent on issues that affect us all, including multilateralism, peace efforts and sustainable development. The relationship between Canada and the Francophonie is entering a pivotal period,” Lalonde said.

The gathering also provided an opportunity for Canadian officials to reaffirm their ambition to broaden economic cooperation with Cameroon by encouraging greater investment, innovation and private-sector partnerships.

Source: Business in Cameroon

10, July 2026

Trump invested in companies profiting from war on Iran ⁰

Brokers representing US President Donald Trump reportedly purchased last year between $9.7 million and $24.3 million in stocks from arms manufacturers and other military contractors profiting from the illegal war of aggression against Iran.

Responsible Statecraft (RS), the online magazine of the Quincy Institute, said in an analysis on Thursday that accumulating shares in companies like Palantir, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and RTX took place in 2025 before Trump’s warmongering.

Trump’s brokers purchased between $1.6 and $3.9 million in stock of Palantir, the surveillance technology company that developed Maven Smart System, the AI system used to strike 1,000 targets in Iran on the first day of the military assault, according to the analysis of a financial disclosure released recently by the president.

Trump also acquired up to $1.4 million in stock from Lockheed Martin, which manufactures F-35 and F-22 jets deployed against Iran; up to $1 million in stock from General Dynamics, which builds heavy bombs and missiles used in terrorist attacks on the Islamic Republic; and over $800,000 in stock from RTX, which manufacturers the Tomahawk missiles used in the deadly strike on a school in Iran’s southern city of Minab, and up to $3 million in stock from GE Aerospace, which manufactures parts for aircraft used by the US and Israel to target Iran.

The report also said that many of the aforesaid companies have received large contracts to rebuild stockpiles of weapons that were depleted during the war on Iran.

Some contractors in Trump’s investment portfolio also do business directly with the Israeli regime, it added, citing Boeing which sold $8.6 billion in F-15 jets to Tel Aviv less than three months before the second unlawful American-Zionist aggression against Iran, which started on February 28.

Meanwhile, the analysis said that almost all of the stocks Trump purchased rose significantly in the first year of his administration.

All of the stock purchases were part of a larger financial disclosure which revealed that Trump generated $2 billion through private ventures last year, including approximately $1.4 billion through cryptocurrency sales, it said.

The US and the Israeli regime waged their first criminal military assault against Iran, which lasted 12 days, in June 2025. Their second invasion began in late February and came to a halt in early April after 40 days.

In both wars, Iran’s brave resistance and successful retaliatory operations forced the enemies to accept a ceasefire.

Source: Press TV

8, July 2026

CDC banana exports hit its lowest level of 2026 ⁰

Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), the country’s only domestically owned banana exporter, recorded its weakest monthly export performance of 2026 in June.

According to the Cameroon Banana Association (Assobacam), the state-owned agribusiness exported 3,085 tons of bananas during the month, down 12% from the 3,508 tons shipped in May. June’s exports also trailed those recorded during the first four months of the year: 4,231 tons in January, 3,234 tons in February, 3,822 tons in March, and 3,233 tons in April.

Assobacam did not provide an explanation for the decline. However, it coincides with the end of Cameroon’s dry season, a period that typically brings lower agricultural yields. Beyond seasonal factors, the figures highlight CDC’s continued struggle to recover from the socio-political crisis that has affected the country’s English-speaking regions since late 2016.

The conflict severely disrupted operations, particularly in the Southwest Region, where many of the company’s banana, rubber, and oil palm plantations are located. Large areas of farmland have remained idle for years, contributing to mounting losses that continue to weigh on the company’s financial position.

In 2025 alone, CDC reported 14,349 hectares of mature plantations that remained unharvested, officially citing shortages of agricultural inputs needed for field operations as well as persistent security challenges in parts of its production areas.

Source: Business in Cameroon

7, July 2026

Cameroon’s economy grew 3.5% in 2025 despite a sharp drop in exports ⁰

Cameroon’s economy expanded by 3.5% in real terms in 2025, but the growth came largely from domestic demand rather than stronger export performance, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

In its report on fourth-quarter 2025 national accounts, the INS said annual economic growth reached 3.5% compared with 2024. Excluding oil and natural gas, growth stood at 3.8%.

The figures point to an economy that continued to expand, but with growth driven primarily by spending at home rather than by stronger external demand. Over the year, export volumes fell 7.6%, while imports rose 10.1%, leaving the trade deficit at 3.9% of nominal GDP.

Domestic demand remained the main growth engine

According to the INS, domestic demand was the main source of economic growth in 2025. Final consumption increased 4.6%, while investment rose 6.8%. Household consumption expanded 4.4%, reflecting resilient consumer spending, while government consumption increased 6%, providing additional support to economic activity.

Investment also strengthened during the year. Gross fixed capital formation rose 6.8%, driven by a 16.3% increase in public investment and 4.2% growth in private investment. That spending supported sectors such as construction, engineering services and equipment-related activities.

At the same time, it raises a broader question about the quality of growth. A significant share of investment still relies on imported machinery, equipment and intermediate goods, suggesting that stronger domestic demand has also fueled higher imports.

Exports weakened as imports accelerated

External trade remained the economy’s main weak spot in 2025. Goods exports fell 10% in volume over the year, while services exports grew 2.7%.

Meanwhile, goods imports increased 10.6%, and services imports rose 7%. The result was an economy that relied increasingly on imported products to sustain domestic activity while generating fewer export earnings to offset those purchases.

The INS data show some improvement during the final quarter of the year. On a seasonally adjusted basis, total exports rose 3.5% between the third and fourth quarters of 2025, with goods exports increasing 6% and services exports 8.2%. Total imports edged down 0.1% over the same period.

That quarterly improvement, however, did not reverse the broader trend. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2024, total exports were still down 8.5%, while imports were up 13.2%.

Although the trade deficit narrowed during the fourth quarter to 4.5% of GDP for the period, the country still ended 2025 with a full-year trade deficit equivalent to 3.9% of nominal GDP.

Services continued to lead the economy

On the production side, the services sector remained Cameroon’s strongest growth driver. Output expanded 4.6% over the year, supported by financial services (9.7%), information and communications (9.3%), transport (4.2%) and public services (4.7%).

Industry posted more modest growth of 2%. Construction expanded 4.8%, while water supply and sanitation grew 6.4%. Those gains were partly offset by a 6.9% decline in extractive industries, particularly oil and gas.

Growth in the primary sector slowed to 1.7%. Industrial and export agriculture contracted 3.2%, reducing the sector’s contribution to export earnings at a time when stronger external sales are becoming increasingly important.

Growth remains uneven

The INS figures show that Cameroon’s economy continued to grow in 2025, supported by household spending, investment, construction and services. But they also point to an economy with an increasingly unbalanced growth model.

Domestic demand is providing solid support for activity, yet rising imports and weaker exports leave the country more exposed to external pressures and a widening trade gap.

Over the longer term, sustaining growth will require more than stronger domestic spending. It will depend on expanding productive capacity, increasing local manufacturing, reducing reliance on imports where feasible and strengthening the country’s export base. For now, Cameroon’s economy is growing. The next challenge will be making that growth more balanced and more competitive.

Source: Business in Cameroon

6, July 2026

Gov’t upgrades Ndop rice facilities to support import substitution ⁰

Cameroon is counting on Ndop to become one of the country’s leading rice-producing areas after investing more than CFA4 billion to modernize production and processing facilities at the Upper Noun Valley Development Authority (UNVDA).

Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Gabriel Mbairobe inspected the new equipment on July 2 alongside North West Regional Council President Prof. Fru Angwafo III.

The government hopes the investment will increase UNVDA’s annual rice production from 21,000 tons to 100,000 tons, nearly a fivefold increase.

Achieving that goal, however, will require far more than new processing equipment. Expanding cultivated land, improving irrigation, ensuring access to seeds and fertilizer, strengthening farmer support, and increasing UNVDA’s capacity to purchase, process, and market paddy rice will all be critical.

Modern facilities, but production must follow

The newly installed equipment can process up to 20 tons of paddy rice per hour, replacing aging machinery that had long limited the authority’s operations. The upgrade should reduce processing bottlenecks, improve rice quality, and allow larger volumes of paddy to be handled.

But higher milling capacity does not automatically translate into higher agricultural output. UNVDA still faces challenges related to land development, irrigation, and farm productivity. Although the Ndop plains offer significant agricultural potential, only part of the available land has been developed for rice cultivation.

Unless irrigation systems, rural roads, improved seeds, fertilizers, and extension services expand alongside the processing facilities, the new plant could operate well below capacity. The government’s own assessment of the rice sector highlights these constraints. The Ministry of Agriculture cites post-harvest losses, insufficient milling capacity, outdated storage infrastructure, high input costs, shortages of improved seed varieties, limited mechanization, and inadequate irrigation among the industry’s biggest obstacles.

The Ndop investment addresses one of those challenges, but not all of them.

Reducing dependence on imported rice

The project is part of Cameroon’s broader effort to reduce its dependence on imported food. According to the National Institute of Statistics (INS), cereal imports totaled CFA466.9 billion in 2025, down 14.1% from the previous year but still accounting for 8.9% of the country’s total import bill.

Rice remained the largest imported cereal, with purchases valued at CFA268.7 billion, or 5.1% of total imports, despite declining 15.6% from 2024.

By increasing UNVDA’s processing capacity, the government hopes to expand domestic rice production, gradually replace imports, and create more value within local farming communities.

The initiative fits into Cameroon’s import substitution strategy, which aims to increase the productivity, output, and competitiveness of domestic agriculture.

Still, local rice will need to compete with lower-cost imports, particularly from Asia. That means producing enough rice of consistent quality, packaging it effectively, and keeping prices affordable for consumers.

More than equipment will determine success

Farmers have welcomed the arrival of the new facilities, saying they should shorten processing times, improve access to milling services, and increase the value of their harvests. However, producer prices, access to fertilizer and improved seeds, farm machinery, better roads, and UNVDA’s ability to purchase paddy on time will remain critical to the project’s success.

Security also remains a concern. UNVDA operates in Cameroon’s North West Region, which has been affected by the Anglophone crisis since 2017. Although the Ndop plains retain strong agricultural potential, insecurity continues to affect access to farms, the movement of farmers and inputs, and the transport of rice to markets.

Against that backdrop, the presence of the regional council president alongside the agriculture minister underscored the government’s intention to anchor the project within the region’s broader development strategy.

Ultimately, however, the success of the investment will depend less on political support than on whether it can secure the entire production chain.

The CFA4 billion investment marks an important step in modernizing UNVDA and strengthening Cameroon’s ambition to expand domestic rice production. But increasing annual output from 21,000 tons to 100,000 tons will require much more than new machinery. It will depend on whether higher processing capacity is matched by sustained gains in agricultural production and a more competitive local rice industry.

Source: Business in Cameroon

2, July 2026

Camtel’s bill of health: higher profit, poor service quality ⁰

Cameroon Telecommunications (Camtel) continued to improve its financial performance in 2025, posting higher revenue and profit as the state-owned telecom operator extended a recovery that has been underway for several years.

Speaking at the National Management Days in Douala, CEO Judith Yah Sunday Achidi said Camtel generated net profit of more than CFA13 billion in 2025, up from CFA12.7 billion the previous year.

Revenue also increased, rising above CFA235 billion from CFA217 billion in 2024. The growth continues a steady upward trend. In a statement released in December 2025, Camtel said its revenue had doubled from CFA108 billion in 2018 to CFA217 billion in 2024.

According to the CEO, the company’s performance reflects years of internal reforms, including the digitalization of services, tighter revenue controls, and a stronger focus on operational performance. She cited the expansion of online subscriptions, electronic bill payments, and improved revenue monitoring, saying these measures boosted efficiency without additional capital injections from the state.

That claim, however, deserves some context. Camtel has also said it has invested more than CFA145 billion since 2021 to upgrade and expand its telecommunications network. The company’s stronger financial results therefore reflect both management reforms and sustained investment in its infrastructure.

Fixed Services Remain the Backbone

The financial gains come even as Camtel’s business model continues to depend largely on its traditional activities.

According to an audit by the Audit Bench of Cameroon’s Supreme Court covering 2015 and subsequent years, the company operates under three concession agreements signed on March 12, 2020, covering transmission infrastructure, fixed telecommunications, and mobile services.

Between 2015 and 2020, Camtel’s fixed-services business generated most of its revenue, ahead of transmission services and mobile operations. But the nature of that business has changed significantly. Traditional landline services have steadily declined as mobile telephony expanded, while fixed broadband has become the company’s main growth driver.

That shift explains Camtel’s increasing focus on fiber-optic services, enterprise connectivity, and wholesale data transport. According to the Telecommunications Regulatory Board (ART), the transmission segment where Camtel is the dominant operator continues to benefit from rising demand for bandwidth. The company operates a national fiber-optic network stretching nearly 12,000 kilometers and connected to several submarine cable landing stations.

The picture is less encouraging in mobile services. Despite expanding its Blue mobile brand, Camtel remains a distant competitor in a market dominated by Orange Cameroon and MTN Cameroon. According to the ART, mobile service revenue reached CFA631 billion in 2024, with growth driven largely by mobile data.

The regulator’s figures also highlight the market’s concentration. Orange Cameroon and MTN Cameroon account for most mobile revenue, while Camtel continues to hold only a small share. That limits the public operator’s ability to turn its nationwide infrastructure into a stronger position in the mobile market.

Better Service Remains the Real Test

Service quality remains Camtel’s biggest challenge.

The company’s stronger financial performance contrasts with frequent customer complaints about slow internet speeds, service outages, and difficulties accessing both fixed and mobile services. Such complaints remain common on social media, highlighting the gap between the company’s financial progress and users’ day-to-day experience.

Camtel acknowledges that network modernization remains a priority. In its December 2025 statement responding to the Supreme Court audit, the company said it had committed more than CFA145 billion since 2021 to modernize and expand its telecommunications infrastructure.

That effort continued in 2026 with the signing of a CFA44.884 billion syndicated financing agreement with Commercial Bank Cameroon. According to Camtel, the funding will support the first phase of its Mobile Network Expansion project, which aims to strengthen existing infrastructure and extend 2G, 3G, and 4G coverage across regional and divisional capitals, university towns, strategic economic zones, and selected rural communities.

The challenge now is to turn those investments and stronger financial results into tangible improvements for customers. In a market increasingly driven by mobile data, Camtel will narrow the gap with Orange Cameroon and MTN Cameroon only if it improves network coverage, service reliability, internet quality, and its commercial performance.

The 2025 results show a company that is more profitable, financially stronger, and further along in its transformation. But they also underline the company’s biggest test: customers will judge Camtel less by its earnings than by the quality of the service it delivers.

Source: Business in Cameroon

30, June 2026

CDC left 14,300 hectares of mature plantations idle in 2025 ⁰

The Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), the country’s second-largest employer after the state, was unable to exploit a significant share of its agricultural assets in 2025. According to the company’s financial statements, 14,349 hectares of mature oil palm and rubber plantations remained unexploited during the year, significantly affecting its agricultural performance.

The company reported that 9,423 hectares of mature rubber plantations were left unexploited, representing about 51% of its 18,595 hectares of mature rubber estates. In the oil palm business, 4,926 hectares remained idle, or nearly 36% of the company’s 13,690 hectares of mature plantations.

The large amount of idle farmland highlights the operational difficulties facing the state-owned agribusiness, whose operations are concentrated mainly in the Southwest and Littoral regions. According to CDC, it was one of the main reasons the company failed to meet its 2025 production targets.

Insecurity continues to disrupt production

CDC attributed the weak performance to reduced cultivated areas, insufficient agricultural inputs, and ongoing security challenges in some production zones. In its rubber operations, the company said it lost two months of peak harvesting because of lockdowns imposed during the school reopening period and ahead of the election campaign. The disruptions affected tapping operations, which depend on regular access to plantations.

The company also reported several serious security incidents, including the killing of senior field staff in Ekona, Mungo, and Sonne/Likomba. According to CDC, the attacks disrupted operations across several plantations and continue to limit the company’s recovery efforts.

CDC said the socio-political crisis affecting Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest regions since 2016 continues to weigh on its operations. Since 2018, the conflict has forced the company to suspend activities on several estates, led to the deterioration and loss of assets, and contributed to accumulated losses that weakened shareholders’ equity between 2019 and 2024.

Lower spending on farm inputs

Operational difficulties were also reflected in procurement. Spending on agricultural inputs fell 12% in 2025, mainly because of lower purchases of fertilizers, crop protection products, and other farming supplies. The reduction limited the company’s ability to improve yields on the plantations that remained in production and constrained efforts to gradually restore operations on mature estates that are still idle.

Purchases of other supplies, including spare parts, banana packaging materials, irrigation equipment, lubricants, and construction materials, declined by 1%, reflecting efforts to maintain a minimum level of industrial and logistics activity despite the challenging operating environment.

CDC also generated CFA74.5 million from the disposal of fixed assets. This included CFA58.5 million from the sale of oil palm and coconut seedlings produced at its Bota nursery and CFA16.1 million from the sale of rubber stumps used for grafting.

While these revenues provided some additional income, they remain modest compared with the scale of the idle plantations and the investment needed to revive operations.

The 2025 financial statements show that CDC’s main challenge remains restoring production on its mature plantations. Until a significant share of these estates returns to operation, the company’s financial recovery is likely to remain fragile.

Source: Business in Cameroon

29, June 2026

Stocks mixed and oil rises as US, Iran call end to latest attacks ⁰

Investor confidence remains shaky after last week’s rollercoaster ride that saw markets whipsaw on the Middle East crisis and growing concerns about a tech bubble fuelled by the AI boom.

While there is an expectation that Washington and Tehran will finalise a deal to end their conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the process has been fraught with tensions between the long-time foes.

The two have traded strikes in recent days, disrupting shipping through the vital waterway and fanning concerns Iran will shut it down again.

The US Central Command said it had attacked 10 Iranian military targets over “continued Iranian aggression against commercial shipping”.

Iran said it retaliated with strikes against US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Both Kuwait and Bahrain denounced the Iranian attacks.

Tehran has been angered by Oman’s announcement of an alternative route through the strait that hugged the Omani shoreline, which Muscat said was in conjunction with the International Maritime Organization.

Iran insists on controlling passage through the vital strait, something it did not enjoy before the war.

Both countries agreed to stop attacking each other, US media outlets reported late Sunday citing senior US officials, and plan to meet Tuesday in Qatar for more talks.

US President Donald Trump has repeated past threats of military action if the Iranian strikes continue, saying on Saturday that Iran would “no longer exist” if the US is “forced” to resume the war.

Iran’s top diplomat warned Sunday that any attempt by ships to bypass its preferred route would “increase tensions”.

A US official said Sunday: “Technical talks are slated to continue on all areas of the MOU (memorandum of understanding). Both sides will stand down for now and vessels can move freely” in and around the strait.

Oil prices, which last week fell to pre-war levels, rose Monday, with West Texas Intermediate adding more than one percent.

Equity markets fluctuated, with Hong Kong, Sydney, Wellington, Taipei and Manila up but Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore and Jakarta down.

Tech firms were again in the spotlight after leading hefty losses last week, with South Korean chip makers SK hynix and Samsung taking the brunt of the selling.

The sector has been hammered by concerns that valuations have gone too far and questions about when firms will see a return on the trillions of dollars pumped into AI.

The tech rally has sent Seoul, Tokyo and Wall Street’s three main indexes to record highs this year, with SK hynix alone soaring 300 percent in the first six months of the year.

The Bank for International Settlements — considered the central bank of central banks — warned Sunday of a possible bust following a long-running investment boom by companies looking to keep ahead in the AI race.

“Disappointment in returns could trigger a sudden pullback in financing and turn the capex boom into a protracted investment bust, with potential knock-on effects on financial conditions,” it said in its annual report.

It added that “a major equity-market correction could have larger macroeconomic consequences today than in the past”.

Investors are looking ahead to the release of US jobs data, which could have a bearing on the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy plans.

The bank has taken a more hawkish turn amid concerns over surging inflation that has been caused by the Iran war.

“Last month, the strong data triggered a four percent sell-off on the Nasdaq, its worst single-day decline in over a year, as higher-for-longer fears weighed heavily on the AI trade,” said IG market analyst Fabien Yip.

“A repeat beat on Thursday could trigger a similar rotation; a miss, by contrast, may dampen hike expectations and lift rates-sensitive equities.”

Key figures around 0230 GMT

Seoul – Kospi: DOWN 1.9 percent at 8,254.35

Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.7 percent at 68,869.43 (break)

Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.7 percent at 23,048.81

Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 4,032.52

West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.1 percent at $70.00 a barrel

Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.7 percent at $72.47 a barrel

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1391 from $1.1388 on Friday

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3208 from $1.3200

Dollar/yen: UP at 161.79 yen from 161.75 yen

Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.25 pence from 86.28 pence

New York – Dow: DOWN 0.1 percent at 51,876.11 (close)

London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 10,508.02 (close)

Source: AFP

22, June 2026

Prime Minister Ngute revives push for Limbe Deep Seaport ⁰

Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute, has ordered government administrations to fast-track the long-delayed Limbe Deep Seaport project, signalling a renewed push to expand the country’s maritime infrastructure and reduce pressure on the Port of Douala.

The directive was issued during an enlarged inter-ministerial meeting in Yaounde that reviewed feasibility studies, land demarcation plans and governance arrangements for the future port. At the end of the meeting, Ngute instructed all stakeholders to accelerate preparations and move the project towards implementation.

Strategic project back on the agenda

Located in Fako Division in the South West Region, the Limbe Deep Seaport is expected to become a major gateway for hydrocarbons and agricultural exports while boosting regional trade. The project was revived by presidential decree in May 2020, but progress has remained limited since then.

Speaking after the meeting, Transport Minister Jean Ernest Ngalle Bibehe said discussions focused on assessing the feasibility of implementing existing studies and determining the next steps required for construction.

“After various presentations, we noted the strategic character of this project which has the same quality as the Ring Road. The Prime Minister instructed all relevant administrations to get involved so that this strategic structure sees the light of day,” he said.

Officials identified several priority actions, including the completion of the port’s territorial delimitation and the establishment of governance and operational structures needed to manage the facility.

According to the Transport Minister, the Prime Minister also instructed relevant administrations to examine all available options and submit a comprehensive report on the project’s implementation.

Administrative and municipal authorities from Fako Division participated in the meeting, presenting local concerns and proposals aimed at resolving outstanding issues.

Local authorities seek management appointments

The Senior Divisional Officer for Fako, Engelbert Viang Mekala, welcomed the renewed momentum behind the project but stressed the importance of appointing the port’s leadership.

“It is important for the top management of the Limbe Deep Seaport to be appointed because if the top management of the port is known, I think that all the actions will be taken,” he said.

Mekala added that discussions on land demarcation had advanced and expressed hope that the process would be completed before the end of June 2026.

The renewed focus on Limbe comes as the Port of Douala-Bonabéri continues to handle more than 95 percent of Cameroon’s maritime trade while serving several landlocked countries in Central Africa.

Government authorities have repeatedly identified port diversification and logistics modernisation as priorities for improving trade efficiency and supporting economic growth. The Limbe Deep Seaport is expected to play a central role in that strategy by providing additional capacity and strengthening Cameroon’s position as a regional trade hub.

Closing the meeting, Prime Minister Dion Ngute reiterated his instruction for all stakeholders to accelerate their assigned tasks and ensure the project advances from planning to effective implementation.

Source: Business in Cameroon