Cameroon President Paul Biya said in a Dec. 31, 2025 national address that the government would roll out a special programme this year to rehabilitate deteriorated roads.
The initiative will also include the construction of new roads and is expected to improve urban and intercity mobility, as well as access to key production areas, he said.
The condition of Cameroon’s road network has long been a public concern. Major routes, particularly those linking large cities, are badly degraded, slowing trade, extending travel times and contributing to a rise in accidents.
The 230-km Yaoundé-Douala corridor highlights the problem, with journeys taking five to six hours. Other heavily affected routes include Edéa-Kribi, Garoua-Ngaoundéré and Douala-Bafoussam.
According to the latest data from the Ministry of Public Works, about 75% of Cameroon’s road network, or 91,404.7 km, is in poor or very poor condition, while 25%, or 30,468.2 km, is rated good or fair. In 2025, the government paved 384 km of roads, less than half of its annual target of 754 km.
Details of the presidential programme have yet to be disclosed, and its implementation will require substantial funding at a time of tight budget constraints. The Road Fund estimates that Cameroon needed about 1.1 trillion CFA francs in 2025 to maintain the national network, but only 100 billion CFA francs was allocated to the sector.
To finance the programme, Biya may again turn to international partners. During an official visit to Beijing on Sept. 4, 2024, he called for increased Chinese investment in Cameroon’s road infrastructure.
Ludovic Amara
