The municipality of Bétaré-Oya, in eastern Cameroon, has inaugurated a new municipal housing complex aimed at improving living conditions for local residents.
The project, officially launched on March 18, 2026, by Decentralization Minister Georges Elanga Obam, includes 28 housing units—22 three-bedroom homes and six four-bedroom homes—built at a total cost of CFA459.9 million.
Mayor Nicolas Baba said the municipality received more than CFA3.1 billion in support from the Special Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance (Feicom) between 2020 and 2025. He pointed to this funding as evidence of the government’s commitment to local development.
The housing project is part of the Municipal Housing Construction Program (PCCM), created under a 2013 partnership between Feicom, the Cameroon Housing Bank (CFC), and the United Councils and Cities of Cameroon (CVUC). The program aims to help municipalities expand access to affordable and decent housing.
To finance the initiative, two credit lines totaling CFA30 billion were opened in 2013 and 2021 by the CFC. These funds have supported the construction of 1,531 housing units—ranging from two- to five-bedroom homes—across 87 municipalities nationwide.
Since 2025, the housing bank has been preparing a third CFA30 billion financing round to continue the program. The next phase is also expected to create jobs for about 1,200 young people and support the development of around 50 small and medium-sized construction firms in participating communities.
Frédéric Nonos
