PHP and CDBM took over Boh Plantations’ production assets in October 2025
- The deal reshapes Cameroon’s banana sector around three main operators
- Boh Plantations exits industrial banana production after 16 years
Regular visitors to the website of the Cameroon Banana Association (Assobacam) may have noticed a telling sign in recent months: for the past three months, export data for Boh Plantations Limited (BPL) have disappeared from the monthly tables. The interprofessional body has offered no official explanation. Behind the scenes, however, the absence reflects a quiet reshaping of Cameroon’s banana industry.
According to exclusive information obtained by Business in Cameroon, the development stems from the sale of agricultural assets finalized on October 22, 2025, following several months of discussions. The transaction marks Boh Plantations’ operational exit from large-scale banana production and, at the same time, accelerates a new phase of consolidation in the sector.
Under the deal, BPL’s agricultural assets — excluding shares and goodwill — were taken over by two operators already well established in the industry. Plantation du Haut Penja (PHP), the market leader, acquired the Mbonjo plantation in the Littoral region. Compagnie des bananes de Mondoni (CDBM), a fast-growing subsidiary of the Compagnie fruitière group, took over the Missaka site in the South-West. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. “PHP and CDBM acquired BPL’s assets, not its shares or goodwill. BPL still exists,” a source familiar with the matter said.
From a legal standpoint, Boh Plantations Limited therefore remains in existence but no longer holds banana production assets. According to people close to the file, the decision reflects a strategic choice by its founder, Njong Eric Njong, who is said to be refocusing on his core businesses, particularly public works, and scaling back direct involvement in industrial banana production.
On the social front, the transaction was presented as avoiding abrupt disruption. At the time the agreement was concluded, BPL’s 554 employees were taken over by PHP and CDBM. Other workers, according to the same sources, had their full entitlements settled by Boh Plantations Limited, which remained their employer at the date of the transfer.
Contacted, the promoter did not deny the information but said the process should be seen as negotiations still under way.
Sixteen years of an ambitious but constrained agricultural project
Founded in 2009 by businessman Njong Eric Njong, Boh Plantations Limited developed an agricultural project mainly based in Missaka, with usable farmland estimated at close to 700 hectares spread across several sites. The company set ambitious production and employment targets, including projected yields of 45 tons per hectare from 2014, planned investments of about CFA5 billion in the medium term, and the creation of 1,000 direct jobs and 500 indirect jobs.
In practice, BPL faced heavy structural constraints, including partially marshy soils, proximity to the Moungo River, and significant needs for drainage and infrastructure. These factors weighed on costs, timelines, and production consistency in a sector that depends heavily on logistical performance.
A market now structured around three main players
Beyond the BPL case, the transfer of its assets has reshaped the structure of Cameroon’s banana market. Production previously handled by Boh Plantations is now being reallocated between PHP and CDBM, mechanically strengthening their industrial and logistical footprint. The sector is now organized around three operators: PHP, the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), and CDBM.
Under this new configuration, PHP has reinforced its dominant position, while CDBM has accelerated its rise, just two years after entering the market in June 2023. Export data illustrate this shift. In September 2025 — the month from which BPL disappears from Assobacam statistics — PHP posted its strongest monthly performance of the year, exporting 15,438 tons, while CDBM reached a record 2,925 tons.
Momentum then eased in October, with PHP exports falling to 14,172 tons and CDBM’s to 2,475 tons. The trend continued in November, when PHP shipped 12,705 tons and CDBM 2,534 tons. The gradual slowdown after the September peak may reflect both structural constraints in the sector and an operational adjustment phase following the absorption of BPL’s volumes by the two buyers. The shift has also unfolded in a challenging context. According to Assobacam, total banana exports dropped 45.5% in November 2025, falling from 27,007 tons a year earlier to 18,562 tons.
Njong Eric Njong, an entrepreneur with multiple interests
Behind Boh Plantations Limited is Njong Eric Njong, a Cameroonian businessman from the South-West, often described as discreet but influential within the national business community. Trained as an architect and a graduate of the University of Lagos, he has built a diversified portfolio since the 1990s, spanning construction, real estate, and agro-industry.
Through his group, he notably controls Buns Sarl. He is also active in finance, serving as chairman of the board of Zénithe Insurance. BPL’s operational withdrawal from the banana sector thus appears to reflect a broader strategic reallocation of assets within this entrepreneurial group.
Amina Malloum
