Cameroon

2, September 2025

Cameroon Road Network Crisis: 75% requiring rehabilitation ⁰

Three-quarters of Cameroon’s road network remains in a poor or mediocre state despite public investment, according to a September 2025 project review by the country’s Ministry of Public Works. The report reveals that 91,405 km of the nation’s 121,873 km road system are in disrepair, presenting a significant obstacle to economic activity.

Only 25% (30,468 km) of the network is rated as being in good or fair condition. The quality varies significantly by road type. While 100% of the country’s small stretch of motorways (109 km) are in good condition, only 18% of crucial municipal roads meet this standard. National roads fare better, with 69% rated as good or fair, but regional routes lag at just 35%.

The report indicates a marginal five-percentage-point improvement in overall network quality compared to 2024. Progress is being hampered by several systemic issues, including pavement degradation, the impacts of climate change, and a lack of discipline among road users.

A critical factor cited is the weakness of the domestic construction sector. The ministry noted that many local firms lack the financial, technical, and logistical capacity to execute projects effectively. This has led to the termination of 27 contracts between 2019 and 2024 and the closure of several other projects at the request of the struggling companies.

In response, the government is implementing structural reforms. A 2022 law aimed at protecting national road assets is being enforced to increase infrastructure durability. Furthermore, a decree from July 2025 has reorganized the national Road Fund to improve resource allocation for maintenance and rehabilitation.

As of December 31, 2024, Cameroon’s road network consisted of 10,576 km of paved roads and 111,297 km of dirt roads.

Looking ahead, the government plans to launch 132 major new road projects starting in 2025. The initiative aims to pave 882 km of new roads, rehabilitate 661 km of existing paved roads, and perform maintenance on another 828 km by 2027, covering a total distance of 2,371 km.

Source: Business in Cameroon

1, September 2025

Yaoundé: US State Department says 14,300 Cameroonians held in pre-trial detention for minor offenses ⁰

A recent U.S. State Department report on human rights, released August 25, 2024, indicates that approximately 14,300 individuals in Cameroon are currently held in pre-trial detention for minor offenses. The report, citing the Cameroonian Bar Association, estimates that nearly 75% of those awaiting trial are incarcerated for offenses considered minor under local law. The document also highlights the disproportionate impact on minors, raising significant concerns regarding child protection and adherence to international juvenile justice standards.

Cameroonian law stipulates a maximum pre-trial detention period of 18 months. However, the report notes frequent violations of this legal limit, with many detainees awaiting trial for years. This discrepancy between legal provisions and practical application represents a serious breach of fundamental rule of law principles. The case of independent journalist Kingsley Fumunyuy Njoka exemplifies this issue; arrested in 2020 for articles related to the Anglophone crisis in the Northwest and Southwest regions, he was held for over four years before being sentenced in September 2024 to ten years in prison. Charges against him included secession and complicity with armed groups, despite his initial arrest being linked to his writings.

Structural factors contribute to these prolonged detentions, according to the report. Key issues include pervasive corruption within the judicial system and a severe shortage of court personnel. Additional challenges encompass mismanagement of case files, leading to delayed or lost procedures, and detainees’ frequent inability to cover legal costs. The report also points to systematic denials of bail, even when legal conditions for release are met. Furthermore, some legal proceedings are reportedly influenced by political considerations, requiring directives from higher authorities before judgment.

Despite these practices, the Cameroonian Constitution prohibits arbitrary arrests and detentions. It also guarantees citizens the right to challenge the legality of their arrest or detention before an independent court and to seek compensation for damages resulting from unlawful detention. These constitutional safeguards, though clearly articulated, are largely disregarded in the daily operations of the judiciary.

Criticism regarding the state of justice in Cameroon is not new. For several years, lawyers, local and international non-governmental organizations, and multilateral institutions have raised alarms about the widespread abuse of pre-trial detention. Organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, alongside national legal stakeholders, denounce a system characterized by slowness, high costs, opacity, and, in some instances, political manipulation.

In response to this judicial crisis, several long-awaited reforms are necessary. These include modernizing criminal procedures, increasing judicial staff, depoliticizing judicial actions, and implementing alternative measures to incarceration for minor offenses. Options such as community service, penal mediation, or fines could alleviate prison overcrowding while ensuring appropriate legal responses. Beyond legal aspects, the credibility of the entire Cameroonian judicial system is at stake.

The misuse of pre-trial detention, particularly in politically sensitive cases, erodes public trust in institutions and threatens social stability. An efficient, swift, and equitable justice system remains a cornerstone of any democracy. Cameroon now faces a critical choice: undertake profound reforms or continue to tolerate a system that deprives thousands of citizens of their fundamental rights.

Source: Sbbc

1, September 2025

Douala Port is now the most congested on the West African Coast ⁰

The Douala port is now the most congested port on the West African coast, according to shipping-intelligence platform Gocomet. Vessel delays at the facility reach as long as nine days—two days longer than at Conakry in Guinea, Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, or Lekki in Nigeria, where waiting times stand at about seven days.

The bottleneck comes at a port that handles between 75% and 85% of Cameroon’s trade, as well as imports for landlocked Chad and the Central African Republic. Authorities have offered no official explanation. However, data reviewed by the Ecofin Agency suggest that seasonal and logistical factors, starting with vessel navigation, are at play.

Ships calling at Douala must sail up the Wouri River, a route that depends on dredging operations and favourable tides. Heavy rains in Douala may also have complicated conditions, further slowing vessel movements in and out of the channel.

Another factor could be a seasonal surge in traffic. August marks the start of cocoa exports, and demand from Chad and the Central African Republic is also expected to rise. In such cases, the structural weaknesses of the port become more visible. The Port Authority of Douala has announced new investments, but these upgrades have yet to alleviate pressure on facilities that are already stretched to their limits.

Business news outlet Investir au Cameroun noted at the end of 2023 that the port authority planned to invest CFA 12 billion ($21.4 billion at the period’s exchange rate) in 2023 in acquiring eight-yard cranes. However, years of reliance on outdated equipment had created inefficiencies that could still be affecting operations in 2025. Operational inefficiency also extends to management and port users.

Douala’s southern neighbour, the Kribi port, offers a potential alternative with delays averaging just two days and a more effective administration. However, routing cargo through Kribi presents its own challenges, including weaker hinterland connections and higher logistics costs. Among 15 West African ports surveyed, a few post far lower delays, often less than a day. That includes Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo, Tema in Ghana, and Onne in Nigeria.

Port congestion across West Africa reflects a complex mix of aging infrastructure, surging cargo volumes, bureaucratic inefficiencies, corruption, tidal and environmental constraints, and global supply-chain pressures. These forces combine to create bottlenecks that prolong vessel turnaround and cargo handling.

Modernization programs and new port developments bring some hope, yet chronic underinvestment and governance shortcomings continue to hold back progress. Easing congestion will require coordinated investments in complex infrastructure, digital systems, and regional logistics to meet West Africa’s rising trade demands.

Source: ecofinagency

28, August 2025

Far North Region: 5 children kidnapped by Boko Haram militants ⁰

Gunmen suspected to be militants of the terror group Boko Haram have abducted five children in Cameroon’s Far North region, security sources said on Thursday.

The children, aged between 7 and 19, were kidnapped on Tuesday while they were returning from farming on the slopes of Mount Kassa in Mora locality of the region, the sources told Xinhua by phone.

Local media reported that the abduction took place in the presence of their mothers.

Security forces have launched an operation to rescue the victims.

The abduction comes barely days after the army said its troops had freed 13 hostages, including 10 Cameroonians and three Chadians, abducted by Boko Haram militants in the region.

Since 2014, the Far North region of Cameroon has been plagued by recurring attacks and kidnappings blamed on Boko Haram.

Source: Xinhuanet

26, August 2025

Manyu Cultural Jamboree UK: Cameroon Concord unveils Birmingham team ⁰

Cameroon Concord News Group has unveiled a reporting team for the Manyu Cultural Jamboree this weekend in Birmingham City.

Chi Prudence Asong will continue to cover all events in the Midlands including Wales and Northern Ireland, while also reporting from London under the direct supervision of our London Bureau Chief Asu Isong.

Camcord’s senior international correspondent Soter Agbaw-Ebai has been authorized to make the trip to Birmingham after covering the MECA Leicester election and the Manyu Women’s International Association (Nyene Mawn) Residential Convention in Paris.

Nelly Epupa has been named Cameroon Concord News Group reporter to cover the Manyu Cultural Jamboree activity on Friday. And she will also report on all activities on Saturday.

Newsrooms at all major Cameroonian media organizations have had to rethink their strategies and make their reporting teams to remain relevant to the Cameroonian diaspora.

By Nelly Epupa

26, August 2025

Southern Cameroons minerals: Elias Pungong, Colin Mukete at daggers-drawn positions ⁰

The Nkout (2.7 billion tons) and Ntem (98 million tons) iron ore deposits in southern Cameroon are at the heart of a legal and financial battle. At the center of the dispute is Cameroon Mining Exploration (Caminex), the local subsidiary of the bankrupt British group International Mining and Infrastructure Corporation (IMIC).

The control of Caminex is being contested by two parties: Libyan Foreign Bank (LFB), a subsidiary of the Libyan central bank and IMIC’s main creditor, represented in Cameroon by Elias Pungong; and Caisse Capital Ltd, an investment firm owned by Cameroonian billionaire Colin Mukete, who was also a financier of the British group.

At the heart of the dispute are the legality of LFB’s claim to IMIC’s shares in Caminex and the true amount of financing invested in the exploration of the Nkout and Ntem deposits.

According to Elias Pungong, LFB’s takeover of Caminex was a result of a London court decision. He asserts that after IMIC went bankrupt and could no longer repay its debts, LFB, as the main creditor, went to court in London. The court ruled in favor of LFB buying all of IMIC’s shares, making the Libyan bank the majority shareholder of Caminex.

This version is disputed by other creditors, including Caisse Capital. Its lawyer, Etah Akoh, claims that “the London court only went so far as to pronounce the liquidation of IMIC and appoint a liquidator.” He insists that by law, only a Cameroonian court could rule on the shares of a local company like Caminex. “In claiming otherwise, Mr. Pungong has lied, and we plan to sue him for false testimony,” the Caisse Capital lawyer said.

According to Etah Akoh, the London court could not have awarded the Caminex shares to LFB in any case, since the Libyan bank was only one of IMIC’s creditors. He stated that LFB was fully aware of Caisse Capital, which had injected $5 million into the project. “LFB made contact with us, and discussions took place,” he said. “How, under these conditions, can the bank now want to seize IMIC’s assets in Caminex for itself?“

In response, Elias Pungong said LFB’s $200 million claim against IMIC justified its status as a “senior debt,” or priority claim. “False,” Etah Akoh retorted. “From a legal standpoint, it’s not the amount that matters, but the structure and guarantees. A bank that lends $10 million with a mortgage takes precedence over one that lends $100 billion with no security.” In a Nov. 22, 2024, letter to the Minister of Mines, Industry, and Technological Development, Etah Akoh’s firm, Etah-Nan & Co, informed the mining authority that “LFB’s intrusion in Caminex’s affairs has no legal basis.”

Conflicting Claims Muddle Battle for Iron Ore Assets

The dispute also extends to investment figures. LFB claims that IMIC invested more than $400 million in exploration activities at Nkout and Ntem, financed by loans taken out by IMIC to fund Caminex’s activities. Sources say LFB claims the bulk of these investments in documents submitted to the Cameroonian government. LFB also acknowledges a $5 million debt owed to Caisse Capital by IMIC.

Contacted by Business in Cameroon, Elias Pungong claimed that LFB granted nearly $200 million in loans to IMIC and its subsidiary Affero Mining. He also stated that IMIC raised another $200 million on the London Stock Exchange to finance its activities in Cameroon, bringing the total invested in the country to over $400 million. He said the funds were used to acquire machinery, cover headquarters costs, and conduct exploration studies on the two mining sites.

However, these figures diverge from those advanced by Gordon Partnership, IMIC’s legal counsel. In a Feb. 21, 2018, letter to LFB, the London-based firm detailed its client’s debt situation. “In summary, IMIC owes LFB approximately $81 million and other creditors $70 million. Its subsidiary Affero owes LFB nearly $94 million,” the letter read. In other words, IMIC’s total debt would amount to $245 million, of which $175 million is owed to LFB. The law firm makes no mention of the $200 million IMIC allegedly raised on the stock exchange.

The difference of $155 million between the claimed investment and the debt figures fuels suspicions of fraud.

Caisse Capital alleges that the $400 million in investments put forward by LFB is fraudulent. According to its lawyer, no tangible proof has ever been provided for the financing LFB claims it provided through IMIC to Caminex. “A mining project that receives 224 billion CFA francs would inevitably leave visible traces. Yet at the time of IMIC’s bankruptcy, Caminex was buried under more than 2 billion CFA francs in tax debts, had 160 million in unpaid wages, had lost its offices, and was trying to sell a few vehicles to pay its employees. Its workforce was limited to a few workers abandoned in the bush due to lack of pay. Is that the face of a company that would have absorbed nearly $400 million? Certainly not,” Etah Akoh said.

Caisse Capital shares the position that only a small portion of the $175 million borrowed by IMIC and Affero Mining was actually used for the project. “Based on my experience as a lawyer in this sector, the monthly costs of such a company do not exceed 30 to 50 million CFA francs. Over three years, even including laboratory analyses in London or Canada, expenses could not have exceeded 15 billion CFA francs per permit. How then can you explain the 224 billion CFA francs announced by LFB? These figures are implausible.”

Despite the disagreements, LFB is claiming a central role in the management of the Cameroonian permits and is attempting to convince the government in Yaoundé to grant it a mining convention.

Caisse Capital argues that this is merely a maneuver to erase its own status as a creditor. Colin Mukete’s firm maintains that its $5 million loan to IMIC should entitle it to a stake in any future convention. It is firmly opposed to an agreement being signed for the sole benefit of Caminex and LFB, which it accuses of artificially inflating its contributions. “LFB is not a mining company. Its strategy is to deceive the Cameroonian government and then find a buyer who will acquire Caminex to recoup the $400 million it claims to have invested. This investment is fictitious,” Etah Akoh charged.

A Test for Cameroon’s Business Climate

The Ministry of Mines, however, seems favorable to resuming discussions with Caminex and LFB. This prospect alarms Caisse Capital, whose lawyer has threatened to go to Cameroonian and international courts to have any convention signed under these conditions annulled. “LFB and Mr. Pungong can try to obtain a mining convention with government support. I cannot prevent them from doing that. But I can, and I will, initiate legal proceedings to annul any convention signed on such a false basis. And once the proceedings begin, no serious lender will take the risk of financing this project,” said Caisse Capital through its legal counsel.

Beyond this standoff between creditors, the future of two of Cameroon’s most significant iron ore deposits remains uncertain. The government, having been solicited by LFB for a mining convention, will have to arbitrate a case that involves not only millions of dollars but also the credibility of the country’s business climate.

Source: Business in Cameroon

24, August 2025

Obala: Bishop Sosthène Leopold Bayemi will be cleared of harassment charges ⁰

His Lordship Bishop Sosthène Leopold Bayemi of the Obala Diocese is reportedly implicated in a sex scandal by a dodgy Francophone so-called whistleblower. An audio recording circulating on social media accuses the Roman Catholic cleric of sexual harassment.

Our senior correspondent in Yaoundé the nation’s capital reported late today that the Bishop of Obala will be cleared of charges of sexual harassment soonest and that the Diocese of Obala will emerge stronger and united.

“Bishop Sosthène Leopold Bayemi will be acquitted of making sexual advances against members of his community as alleged by a person operating deep within a political space in Yaoundé” Rita Akana said.

Rita Akana pointed out that the Roman Catholic Church in the Centre and South regions has been standing shoulder to shoulder with the corrupt ruling CPDM party and that Bishop Sosthène Leopold Bayemi is simply paying the price of trying to maintain the status quo.

“The Vatican is very much aware that the Roman Catholic Church in Cameroon does not have kissing and hugging issues! let alone porn videos,” Rita Akana furthered.

Bishop Sosthène Leopold Bayemi is heading a very poor diocese in the outskirts of Yaoundé that relies on financial donations coming mainly from senior political elites running state affairs in Yaoundé.

The allegations, reported by N’zui Manto, are causing uproar in the Christian community, especially as the bishop was among those at the Unity Palace to support the 93 year old President Paul Biya for the October presidential election.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

21, August 2025

Buea: Nigeria Consul-General Obasanjo Coker dies ⁰

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the sudden death of Ambassador Taofik Obasanjo Coker, Nigeria’s Consul General in Buea, Republic of Cameroon.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Ministry’s Spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, Ambassador Coker passed away on Saturday, August 16, following a brief illness.

Ebienfa described the late envoy as a hardworking and dedicated career diplomat who served Nigeria with distinction and professionalism in different capacities.

“His untimely death, therefore, is a great loss to the diplomatic community and the nation at large,” the statement read.

The Ministry noted that before his appointment as Consul General in Buea, Ambassador Coker had served Nigeria meritoriously in the country’s Missions in Conakry, Guinea, and Shanghai, China.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs extends its heartfelt condolences to his immediate family, colleagues and friends at this difficult time and prays for the peaceful repose of his soul,” the statement added.

Source: Vanguard News

20, August 2025

Old CPDM Tricks: Sonara to audit staff as part of refinery restructuring plan ⁰

Cameroon’s state-owned oil refinery Sonara has launched an audit of its human resources and career management. The company has opened a CFA80 million tender, according to a call for bids signed by Managing Director Bako Harouna.

The goal is to give management “an effective and lasting match between its workforce and its jobs, in terms of staffing, qualifications, and profiles.”

The selected firm will be tasked with reviewing staff numbers, evaluating the quality of job profiles, and assessing the alignment between skills and roles. The audit will also include an evaluation of the monitoring and control systems for human resources to determine whether they are suited to Sonara’s responsibilities and workload.

The review will extend to career management, including promotions, identifying shortcomings, and recommending improvements to boost management efficiency. It will also highlight areas where new human resources policies and procedures are needed.

The initiative follows the board of directors’ approval of an ambitious restructuring plan known as the Acceleration Plan for Restructuring and Rehabilitation Measures for Refining Recovery within 24 Months (Parras 24). The program aims to restore the refinery’s capacity to pre-2019 levels, before a fire destroyed part of its facilities.

Sonara has been out of operation for six years, adding to its debt burden with traders, banks, and the tax authorities. In this context, the staff audit is seen as a key step to determine whether the refinery has the skills needed for its industrial revival.

Source: Business in Cameroon

16, August 2025

Newspaper Publishers welcome CAMASEJ Ethics Committee ⁰

The newly-installed Ethics & Disciplinary Committee (EDC) of the Cameroon Association of English-speaking Journalists (CAMASEJ) has been well received by newspaper publishers.

Publishers of newspapers who are the main employers of members of CAMASEJ expressed kind words and made proposals to the Executive Secretary of EDC in the first outing by the Ethics Committee since it began its operations about a week ago.

Paying a courtesy call on newspaper publishers in Buea on 5 June, EDC’s Executive Secretary, Franklin Sone Bayen, had a brief exchange with them on the sidelines of the CENPA Awards organized by the Cameroon English Language Newspaper Publishers’ Association (CENPA) at Mountain Hotel in Buea.

For about 30 minutes, Bayen engaged with nearly 20 newspaper publishers, explaining the vision, mission and methods of EDC to achieve its objectives.

“As newspaper publishers, you are employers of CAMASEJ members as well as many of you are members of CAMASEJ, thus EDC concerns you,” said the EDC Executive Secretary in his opening statement.

“We are told Jesus came to die for our sins but I think he also came to understand mankind, to have our human experience so that when he sits in judgement besides God the Father, he would use his experience in human frailty to tamper the wrath of God who is perfect. He would beg the Father to take it easy because he lived the experience of the temptations that lead Man to commit sin. He would tell the Father, for example, that being in the company of Mary and Martha and feeling the sensation of a woman oiling his feet, He understands better why Man can fall into sin, though sexual misconduct may not be totally excused,” Bayen went on.

“Likewise, we, members of EDC, being your colleagues, will not act as if we are perfect. We’ll act with an understanding of the challenges of our profession and its pitfalls though we must uphold values because blatant misconduct must not be tolerated, else impunity and abuses would thrive,” he said.

Bayen said that is why the best media regulation is self-regulation under peer review.

He told the publishers that EDC is not a declaration of war on journalists and publishers but a partner to assist publishers in maintaining order in their newsrooms by guiding and cautioning reporters and editors who could be perpetrators of professional ethical misconduct which could be costly to publishers themselves.

“Unlike undertakers and others in the death industry like coffin makers and hearse rentals who may wish for people to die for their business to thrive, we at ED rather wish for fewer or no media offences as the absence of offences would be good news to us, because it means less work for us and also that would suggest that journalists are increasingly ethically consciousness,” the Ethics henchman went on.

Bayen said EDC wishes to collaborate with publishers for a number of reasons. He said EDC wants publishers to give it logistic support by making available their newspapers to ease EDC monitoring due to its limited means.

EDC also wants publishers to take the commitment to enforce EDC recommendations and decisions on its staff because that would also save them the troubles the unethical misconduct of their staff can bring upon them.

Reacting, some newspaper publishers expressed certain concerns. Choves Loh, publisher of The News newspaper, proposed the inclusion of non-CAMASEJ members in EDC to broaden its scope of influence beyond just CAMASEJ members.

Elias Ngalame, publisher of Eco-Outlook advised EDC to bear in mind the commercial interests of newspapers and understand that ethical considerations may be limited in commercial reporting or “advertorials” in the local Press parlance.

Bouddih Adams of The Post said clearcut distinctions between news, editorials and commercial or advertorial content would save newspapers EDC’s wrath.

Responding to the publishers, the EDC Executive Secretary said EDC would take their concerns into consideration where possible but pointed out that as a general principle, commercial stories must be labelled as “advertorial” or “spotlight” or “special report”, without which they are ethically wrong.

Bayen told the publishers that in continuation of EDC’s outreach, it will visit individual newsrooms in the coming days to hold working sessions with their staff and sign Memorandums of Understand with publishers.

Besides watching over ethics in news media, EDC also has the duty of ensuring discipline among CAMASEJ members.