Cameroon is trying to breathe new life into one of its road infrastructure projects. A decree signed on November 18, 2025 by President Paul Biya authorizes the mobilization of 235.5 million euros from MUFG Bank London – a buyer credit of 207.9 million euros and a commercial credit of 27.6 million euros – to restart work on lot No. 1 of the Yaoundé-Nsimalen highway.
After more than a decade of delays, this new funding aims to accelerate the construction of the 12.3 km urban section, linking the Ahala interchange to downtown Yaoundé. This section, essential for facilitating access to the international airport, has seen its cost revised to 434 billion CFA francs, up from the initial 380 billion CFA francs, due to land constraints, complex urban planning, and technical adjustments.
The project is divided into three segments entrusted to two companies: Buns, responsible for the first 6.2 kilometers, and Razel, the contractor for the other two lots. To date, only the “countryside” section, connecting Nsimalen airport and inaugurated in January 2022 after seven years of work, is fully operational – a limited progress for a project launched in 2014.
For public decision-makers, donors, and investors, this loan marks a decisive step: it aims to secure a strategic axis for the attractiveness of the capital, support urban mobility, and strengthen Cameroon’s economic competitiveness. The success of this phase will condition the credibility of future financial mobilizations and the confidence of international partners in the execution of the country’s major infrastructure projects.
