CAMEROON LAW AND PRACTICE Contributed by: Serges Martin Zangue, Brandon Ntahdui, Joel Noussie, Julienne Happi, Mathias Choudjem, Maeva Pokem, Winy Felifack and Synthia Pamela Dounking Amfouo, Zangue & Partners
municipal elections are scheduled for 2026 – the next major milestone in the national electoral calendar. Business Climate and Recent Developments in the Despite numerous economic challenges, Cameroon continues to attract FDI, particularly in sectors such as energy, tech, mining and agriculture. • In the energy sector, the 420 MW Nachtigal hydro - electric plant was completed, followed by the 500 MW Kikot hydroelectric power plant, Grand Eweng (1080 MW), Minkouma (300 MW), the 30 MW Mar - oua and Guider power plants, the first public solar project, etc. • In the tech sector, Yango arrived in Cameroon – an app owned by the Yandex group used to link trans - porters and passengers. Since then, many other Regulation of FDI Business climate similar tech products have arisen in the market. • In the mining sector, there are numerous ongoing projects such as the Mbalam-Nabeba iron ore pro - ject, the Kribi-Lobe iron ore project and the Minim- Martip bauxite project. • Concerning infrastructure, the recently signed part - nership agreement between ARISE IIP and the Port Authority of Douala aims to establish the Dibamba Industrial Port Zone, which will be a major infra - structural facility for the agricultural sector in Cameroon. • The modernisation of railway tracks is currently scheduled in Cameroon – more precisely, a project to renew the Belabo-Ngaoundéré railway line is scheduled for the beginning of 2027. • The construction of a new Cameroon-Central African Republic (CAR) railway line will provides a cross-border railway, intended to facilitate trade and logistics exchanges between Cameroon and the CAR. • The KIA Green Light project (CFA257 million) mechanised agriculture project targets 500 food crop producers in the Centre region, with the aim of strengthening the economic capacity for self- sufficiency through agricultural co-operatives in the districts of Akoeman, so’o and nyong (2024–26). • The implementation of the Integrated Agropasto - ral and Fisheries Import-Substitution Plan ( Plan Intégré d’Import-Substitution Agropastoral et
Halieutique PIISAH) continues. This plan aims to reduce Cameroon’s dependence on food imports, increase agricultural and fisheries productivity and promote the local processing of commodities (2024026). • The construction of a cocoa fermentation centre in Ndzana (Centre region), by the Belgian group Pura - tos, aims to improve the quality and local added value of cocoa. Recent developments in the regulation of FDI Regarding exchange control, there have been some practical developments in relation to the demateri - alisation of FDI declarations and applications for FDI authorisations made to the BEAC and the Ministry of Finance. In general commercial law, the 2024 Finance Law for FY 2025 introduced a number of fees for applications made by foreign investors to obtain authorisations to carry out commercial activities in Cameroon as a foreigner, and to approve employment contracts for foreign employees and consultants. In capital markets, there are new provisions applicable to issuers of foreign securities in CEMAC in relation to their financial statements, which are to be certi - fied in accordance with accounting standards set by COSUMAF. However, the specific procedures for the assessment and certification of these financial state - ments have not yet been defined by COSUMAF. In the banking sector, there is a new regulation intro - ducing a single licence for credit establishments in CEMAC. In the tech sector, the Cameroon legislature has adopted the first-ever law dedicated to personal data protection in the country. Near-Term Outlook and Anticipated Changes Following the recent presidential election, the Head of State reaffirmed his desire to place national unity, stability and prosperity at the heart of his actions, while insisting on the empowerment and protection of young people and women, who are considered the main levers of the country’s socio-economic develop - ment.
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