(Business in Cameroon) – While technical studies and the environmental and social plan for the Minkouma hydroelectric dam are under way, Minkouma Energy Company received a Canadian delegation on September 12. The group included the trade service of Canada’s embassy in Yaoundé and Investissement Québec, a public company specialized in financing and supporting international business ventures.
“This mission brought together Canadian players in the fields of engineering, environment, and investment. They came to review the project’s progress and explore possible areas of cooperation,” said Minkouma Energy Company, which is leading development of the project on the Sanaga River.
Canadian stakeholders expressed interest in financing, construction, project management support, and environmental and social studies—strategic areas that could strengthen the project, still in its preparatory phase.
The Cameroonian government plans to build the Minkouma hydroelectric dam in Haute-Sanaga, about 100 km northeast of Yaoundé. If realized, it would join existing projects on the Sanaga, including the Edéa, Songloulou, and Nachtigal dams, as well as Kikot, now under development. A recent government study found the river could eventually host up to 12 hydro plants, making it the backbone of Cameroon’s energy potential.
The Minkouma project is valued at about CFA584 billion and is expected to deliver between 240 and 300 MW of hydroelectric capacity, along with a solar field ranging from 50 to 300 MW. According to Minkouma Energy Company, financing should be completed by November 2026, with construction scheduled to begin the following month.
Through this project, Cameroon is reaffirming its ambition to significantly expand power supply to meet rising demand and strengthen industrial appeal. The involvement of foreign players such as those from Canada reflects international interest in Cameroon’s large-scale energy ventures, while raising questions over sovereignty in managing a highly strategic sector.
