(Business in Cameroon) – The Port Authority of Douala, or PAD, is advancing its modernization and logistics capabilities. On July 25, 2025, Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute laid the foundation stone for the mixed bulk terminal, located on the right bank of the Wouri River in Bonabéri. This ceremony formalized a 2022 partnership agreement between the British KTH group and the PAD.
The project costs 282 billion CFA francs and follows a public private partnership, or PPP, model of the Build Operate Transfer, or BOT, type over 25 years.The project will be carried out in three phases, across 36 hectares, by Africa Ports Development, KTH’s project company. It will include 1,000 linear meters of quays, a 4,000 square meter administrative building, a 3,000 square meter storage warehouse, and a 3,250 square meter workshop. It will also have modern storage infrastructure, including silos with a total capacity of 120,000 tons.
High performance handling equipment will complement these facilities, ensuring efficient transfer of goods from ship holds to storage and delivery systems. The terminal is designed to manage the increasing flow of mineral and agri food bulk in the Bonabéri industrial zone. It also aims to serve a sub-regional role, especially for landlocked countries like Chad and the Central African Republic. The first quay is expected for delivery in 2028.
Ultimately, the mixed bulk terminal should create over 4,000 direct and indirect jobs. Over 25 years of operation, it is projected to generate total revenues of 258 billion CFA francs. This includes 152 billion CFA francs in taxes and duties for the Cameroonian state and 106 billion CFA francs in royalties for the PAD, an annual sum of 4.2 billion CFA francs.
Frédéric Nonos
