(Business in Cameroon) – The Electricity Development Corporation (EDC) has directed its Director General to accelerate the completion of an electrification project in the country’s East region. This may involve restructuring the project’s financing to find another financial partner, according to reliable sources.
The project, which aims to electrify 150 localities, faces delays due to the Development Bank of Central African States (BDEAC) not releasing remaining funds. EDC’s 55th ordinary board session, held on July 11, 2025, in Yaounde, issued a communique stating, “The Board also instructed the General Management to continue discussions with the donors, notably the BDEAC, to finalize as soon as possible the electrification works in the 150 localities of the East region, as well as the construction of the 90 kilovolt high-voltage lines Bertoua-Abong Mbang and Bertoua-Batouri, or, if necessary, to explore, in collaboration with the competent administrations, other possibilities for restructuring the project’s financing.”
The BDEAC has only released a portion of the approximately 20 billion CFA francs granted to Cameroon for the project, sources said. “At present, around 3 billion CFA francs would be enough to complete the works needed to provide these 150 localities with access to electricity produced at Lom Pangar,” a source close to the matter disclosed.
The electrification project for these 150 localities stems from the construction of a 30 megawatt electricity generation plant at the foot of the Lom Pangar reservoir dam. Since 2024, this plant has been operating at full capacity and is intended to significantly ease the difficulties of electricity access in the East region, one of Cameroon’s poorest areas.
BRM
