Cameroon has secured a €212.35 million financing agreement from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to rehabilitate the Douala–Bafoussam road, one of the country’s most important freight and trade corridors.
The deal, signed on October 13 in Bangkok, is expected to reduce logistics costs, improve access to the Port of Douala, and strengthen links between Cameroon’s Littoral and West regions, according to the IsDB website.
The agreement was signed by IsDB Group Chairman Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser and Cameroon’s Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Alamine Ousmane Mey, on the sidelines of the World Bank–International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings. The loan represents over €212.35 million and covers more than 92 percent of the project’s estimated €229.93 million cost.
The works will rehabilitate 218 km of national roads and 108 km of feeder roads, for a total of 326 km. The main route is divided into three sections: Bekoko–Penja, Penja–Nkam Bridge, and Nkam Bridge–Bandjoun.
Beyond roadworks, the project includes classrooms, health centers, water-supply facilities, markets, and agricultural infrastructure. IsDB said these investments are intended to expand economic opportunities for communities along the corridor while improving access to schools and basic services.
During bilateral talks after the signing ceremony, the two sides reviewed cooperation under the bank’s forthcoming Country Engagement Framework for 2027–2030. The IsDB chief, Al Jasser, said the active portfolio spans energy, transport, and agriculture, while urging faster implementation to ensure that approved investments deliver timely development results.
Douala is Cameroon’s principal commercial hub and port city, while Bafoussam serves as a major trading center for agricultural production in the West Region. The upgraded road is expected to ease the movement of farm produce and commercial goods to domestic markets and onward through the Port of Douala for international trade.
The IsDB first approved the financing in May 2025, describing the project as a way to reduce travel time and improve road safety on a key regional corridor. The newly signed agreement now converts that approval into a formal financing arrangement for implementation. Cameroon joined the IsDB in 1977, and the group has since approved US$4.22 billion in financing for the country.
For Cameroon, the project also supports broader efforts to lower transport costs and improve regional connectivity. Poor road conditions and high logistics expenses remain major constraints on trade between production areas, urban markets, and seaports.
The road financing comes as Cameroon is also engaged in a separate regional effort with Nigeria and Benin to modernize border operations. The three countries’ customs administrations met Afreximbank in Cairo on October 12 to advance a border-modernization program supporting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
A central proposal is the Customs Declarations Exchange System (CDES), which would connect Cameroon’s Customs Information System (CAMCIS) with Nigeria’s B’Odogwu platform and Benin’s Customs Webb. The system would allow export information from one country to support advance import documentation in the receiving country, although each customs authority would still validate data and apply national clearance rules.
At Cameroon’s Mfum–Ekok border with Nigeria, assessments identified unreliable electricity, weak connectivity, inadequate IT equipment, cybersecurity concerns, and the need to commission cargo scanners and coordinated single-stop border processing.
Afreximbank has proposed a two-stage preparation process: independent engineering and investment-cost studies at Mfum–Ekok and Sèmè–Kraké, followed by separate bankable project packages for the Nigeria–Cameroon and Nigeria–Benin corridors.
