Cameroon’s government has opened discussions with local bus manufacturer Sotrabus over plans to develop military vehicles and other defense equipment inside the country, according to sources familiar with the talks.
The discussions, which began quietly in April, focus on the possible local production of military-use vehicles as well as protective equipment such as helmets and tactical vests.
Sotrabus is best known for assembling intercity buses used by transport companies across Cameroon. The company produces 45-, 50-, and 70-seat buses and has become one of the country’s better-known industrial manufacturers.
The discussions suggest the government sees the company as part of a larger industrial strategy.
In a recent review of Cameroon’s National Development Strategy 2020–2030, the Economy Ministry listed Sotrabus among a small group of locally owned companies expected to help drive industrial growth and reduce dependence on imports.
The Defense Ministry’s interest also reflects a wider shift inside Cameroon’s military establishment.
In 2022, Defense Minister Delegate Joseph Beti Assomo created a military-led working group tasked with studying how Cameroon could build domestic defense manufacturing capacity. The group was led by Army Chief Gen. …
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