Cameroon authorizes $629 million for major road infrastructure projects

Cameroonian President Paul Biya has signed decrees authorizing two major loan agreements totaling approximately $629.8 million to upgrade critical regional trade infrastructure.

The first agreement, a €347.5 million ($390.9 million) loan from the World Bank’s International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, will fund the Douala-Bangui Economic Corridor. This 1,400-kilometer route connects the port of Douala to Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. The corridor is vital for the landlocked Central African Republic, which relies on this axis for over 80% of its foreign trade.

A second agreement, worth €212.4 million ($238.9 million), has been authorized with the Islamic Development Bank to rehabilitate the Douala-Bafoussam highway (National Road N°5).

These infrastructure projects aim to modernize transport and commerce across Cameroon’s oil, cocoa, and timber corridors, addressing current challenges such as degraded roads and lengthy transit times.