Cameroon’s Douala BRT contract signed amid $10.2 bn China‑CEMAC trade surge

On July 14, the Cameroonian government awarded a contract worth 18.6 billion FCFA to Chinese firm CFHEC for the first lot of the Douala Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. The agreement covers 12.5 km of road works, including sidewalks, drainage, solar lighting, traffic signals and bus shelters, with an 18‑month execution deadline. Mayor Roger Mbassa Ndine has reiterated the city’s commitment to the project, though no official start date has been announced and previous large‑scale urban works have often faced delays.

In the same period, China’s customs data show that trade between China and the six CEMAC member states (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Chad) reached an estimated 5.9259 trillion FCFA (about $10.2 billion) in the first half of 2026. The region posted a net surplus of roughly $2 billion, driven by oil exports from Congo, Gabon, Chad and Equatorial Guinea, while Cameroon was the only CEMAC country running a trade deficit with Beijing. This trade volume represents about 5 % of total China‑Africa commerce and marks a 24 % year‑on‑year increase. Analysts note that the region’s reliance on hydrocarbons limits the strategic depth of the partnership and stress the need for diversification.