Cameroon’s State‑Owned Firms Hold 93% of Public Enterprise Debt as Government Pays Record Interest

Three state‑owned companies – the National Refining Company (SONARA), Camair‑Co and CAMTEL – account for roughly 93% of Cameroon’s direct domestic debt owed by public enterprises, totalling about CFA 297.3 billion (≈ US$510 million) at the end of June 2026. SONARA alone represents almost 60% of that debt, Camair‑Co about 19.5% and CAMTEL roughly 13.6%.

In June 2026 the Cameroonian government paid CFA 29.5 billion in interest and fees on its public debt, equal to 9% of the month’s total debt‑service outlay and nearly 60% of the central government’s unstructured debt stock. Over the first half of 2026, interest and fees amounted to CFA 149.9 billion, or 14.2% of all debt‑service payments, while external debt service reached CFA 62.9 billion and domestic debt service CFA 264.1 billion.