• Douala port to build 300 MW power plant
• CFA 628 billion BOT project backed by Chinese firms
• Plant aims to secure power, ease grid pressure

The Port Authority of Douala (PAD) is preparing to move into the operational phase of its dedicated power plant project at the Douala-Bonabéri port, with construction scheduled to begin in March 2026. The facility is designed to reach a capacity of 300 MW and aims to secure power supply for port operations, while eventually allowing excess electricity to be fed into Douala's grid.

The project, valued at 628 billion CFA francs (approximately $1.1 billion), falls under an agreement signed on September 12, 2025, between PAD and Douala Port Power Corporation S.A. (DPPC), which is acting as the project company. It is being implemented through a 25-year Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) public-private partnership.

Construction has been awarded to a consortium of Chinese companies under an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract. The group is led by GENERTEC CMC, with China Energy as a partner, while JD Group is serving as consulting engineer. PAD is providing project oversight.

The financing structure involves the Chinese government and financial institutions, with CCA Bank acting as lead arranger. The investment will be fully financed by DPPC, with no financial guarantee from PAD or the Cameroonian government.

Construction is expected to last 36 months and will be carried out in two phases. The first phase involves building a 102 MW plant, along with a gas pipeline linking Kribi to Douala, for an estimated investment of 397 billion CFA francs. The second phase, to be implemented over ten years, will gradually increase capacity to 300 MW through an additional investment of 230 billion CFA francs.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Cyrus Ngo'o said the facility is intended to guarantee "clean" and continuous power supply to port operations, while helping relieve pressure on Douala's grid, which is regularly affected by outages and economic losses. The project is described as compliant with international energy efficiency standards applied to ports and ships, and as a milestone in PAD's master development plan.

The project also carries competitive implications for the port. Energy independence is expected to improve the reliability of logistics operations and strengthen its position as a maritime hub in Central Africa. Developers say the project will create more than 1,100 direct and indirect jobs during the construction and operation phases, as well as generate recurring revenues for PAD and the Cameroonian government through electricity sales.

Amina Malloum, with Business in Cameroon