(Ecofin Agency) - Cameroon has launched the construction of a new domestic gas filling center in Kumba, Southwest Region. The project, valued at CFA6 billion, marks the fifth such facility developed by the Hydrocarbons Price Stabilization Fund (CSPH). The groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 29, led by Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, who also chairs CSPH’s board.

This new site follows similar projects in Maroua, Bertoua, Bamenda, and most recently Ebolowa, where construction began just one week earlier, on April 22.

The Kumba facility will have a filling and storage capacity of 200 cubic meters, with room for future expansion, CSPH said. Once operational, it will make it easier for households in the Southwest Region to access domestic gas—also known as LPG—which has seen rising demand across Cameroon. According to the Trade Minister, household use of domestic gas is growing by about 13% every year.

Until now, consumers in the Southwest have had to rely on supply from Douala, the country’s economic capital, often paying more due to transportation costs.

Beyond making gas more accessible, the expansion of filling centers—whether by CSPH or private players like Bocom and Green Oil—is also helping tackle environmental issues. These facilities offer an alternative to firewood and charcoal, which many households still use for cooking.

Charcoal is a booming industry in Cameroon, generating CFA17 billion annually, according to the Ministry of Forests and Wildlife. But this comes at a heavy cost to the environment. Nonprofits and environmental groups have warned about the link between charcoal production and rising rates of deforestation and desertification.