Cameroon could begin construction on the long-delayed Ebolowa-Kribi highway project later this year if the government finalizes a key financing agreement expected in the coming days.
The 179-kilometer road project, overseen by the Ministry of Public Works, remains dependent on the signing of a financing deal involving the Cameroonian government, Standard Chartered Bank and British export credit agency UK Export Finance.
According to officials at the Ministry of Public Works, the agreement could be signed as early as May 15, 2026, with the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development acting on behalf of the government.
The ministry said concerns previously raised by lenders have already been addressed.
“All technical, administrative and environmental issues identified by lenders have now been resolved,” the ministry said, adding that the government is now waiting for confirmation of the signing date.
The financing agreement covers CFA137.8 billion. Of that amount, CFA130.4 billion is earmarked for construction work, while CFA7.3 billion is allocated to project supervision and oversight. According to the ministry, this would be the second financing agreement signed for the project. An earlier agreement already allowed the government to mobilize CFA8.6 billion as an advance payment tied to the project launch.
That package included CFA6.5 billion provided by Standard Chartered Bank and CFA1.6 billion in counterpart funding from the Cameroonian government.
The project, however, still carries unpaid balances.
The Ministry of Public Works estimates outstanding unpaid claims at about CFA1.2 billion, including CFA679 million that could not be disbursed because of missing budget allocations.
Even if the financing agreement is signed, several additional steps remain before construction can officially begin.
The government must still pay startup advances to the construction company and the project supervision team, finalize execution plans required to unlock the first disbursement, sign an additional amendment and secure supplementary financing.
At this stage, officials say the project’s timeline depends less on technical studies and more on completing the financial structure needed to move construction forward.
Ludovic Amara
