(AGL) As part of the preparation for the industrial exploitation of bauxite at the Minim-Martap site, in the Adamaoua region, CAMRAIL, the concession partner of the Cameroonian State for the management of the national railway network, and CAMALCO (which is already a 9.1% shareholder in CAMRAIL), the mining operator in charge of the project, are increasing their strategic investments. Their objective: to ensure the reliability of railway infrastructure and the smooth transport of minerals, making the railway a central lever for the success of the project.

CAMRAIL: supporting the socio-economic development of Cameroon through a strategic railway

Since the start of the concession of the Cameroon railway in 1999, CAMRAIL has invested more than 300 billion CFA francs in the maintenance and renovation of infrastructure, the modernization of industrial workshops, and the development of operating equipment.

These investments, combined with rehabilitation programs carried out in partnership with the State of Cameroon and funding partners, have enabled the complete renewal of more than a third of the network and the renovation of 1,800 hydraulic works.

The fleet of locomotives has increased from 9 operational units at the beginning of the concession to 39 today, including 4 acquired by the State and dedicated to passenger transport.

Fully modernized, the central workshops in Bassa ensure maintenance quality that meets international standards. Currently, CAMRAIL is entering a new phase of strengthening its traction and transport capabilities with the upcoming delivery of 4 locomotives and 100 flatbed wagons.

To meet the safety and performance requirements related to its usual activities, with rising demand, CAMRAIL has increased its annual railway maintenance budget to 5.2 billion FCFA in 2025, compared to an average of 4.7 billion in previous years.

More recently, CAMRAIL has invested its own funds of 3.3 billion FCFA in the acquisition of 54 kg rail lines and track equipment.

CAMRAIL also contributes to local development, with 400 million FCFA invested each year in community initiatives (drilling, support for education and health, maintenance of the areas around the railway tracks).

It collaborates with more than 300 small and medium-sized Cameroonian enterprises as part of subcontracting, creating 30,000 direct and indirect jobs. On average, 35 billion FCFA is spent annually on purchasing supplies and services from local suppliers and subcontractors.

By ensuring the transport of more than 1.5 million tons of freight per year, the company is a key player in industrial development and territorial integration.

CAMALCO: a structuring mining commitment

CAMALCO, a Cameroonian subsidiary of the Australian group Canyon Resources, is currently investing US$446 million to develop the Minim Martap bauxite project to produce 10 million tonnes per annum of high-grade bauxite.

The project will transport the bauxite ores to the port of Douala via the CAMRAIL rail infrastructure.

In order to facilitate the commencement of operations in early 2026, CAMALCO will invest an initial US$7 million in the rehabilitation of key sections of the railway network, upon signing of the Bauxite Transportation contract with CAMRAIL.

This initial investment aims to accelerate the start of ore transport by immediately reinforcing the most sensitive sections of the rail infrastructure in anticipation of rehabilitation program plan 2 (PQ2) that will commence in H1, 2027.

CAMALCO will spend a further US$85 million during the period 2026 to 2029, in addition to the PQ2 World Bank funding, in order to ensure that the Minim Martap project can reach its 10 million tonne per year bauxite production rate.

To facilitate this production rate, CAMALCO has awarded a contract for the purchase of 22 diesel locomotives from CRRC, China.

In addition, CAMALCO has placed an initial order for 560 open rail wagons with Texmaco Rail & Engineering Limited, India, and has structured an option that provides for an additional 1,040 wagons over the next five years.

To ensure that both locomotives and wagons are maintained to the highest standard, CAMALCO has placed a 20-year maintenance service contract for all of this new equipment that it will own and operate.

CAMALCO’s investment in rolling stock constitutes over 70% of the US$446 million it will spend to develop the Minim Martap bauxite project.

At the same time, CAMALCO is continuing its development work, mobilization of equipment, establishment of loading and transportation infrastructure, and coordination with authorities and logistical partners. These steps are crucial to ensuring sustainable and competitive mining operations.

A strategic synergy for development

The collaboration between CAMRAIL and CAMALCO illustrates the complementarity between the railway sector and the mining sector, serving the enhancement of Cameroon’s natural resources.

These joint investments are a guarantee of responsible, secure, and economically viable mining practices, generating opportunities for local communities and growth for the national economy.

CAMRAIL and CAMALCO are currently in the final stages of negotiations that could allow CAMALCO to increase its shareholding in CAMRAIL and thus enhance the industrial transformation of mining in Cameroon, placing the railway and the export of bauxite of the Minim-Martap Project at the heart of sustainable development and regional integration.

About CAMRAIL

A subsidiary of Africa Global Logistics, CAMRAIL has been the concessionaire of the Cameroonian railway since 1999. A major player in economic and social development in Cameroon, CAMRAIL invests an average of 12 billion CFA francs per year. The company returns an average of 4 billion CFA francs each year to the State of Cameroon in the form of fees, taxes, and duties. With 1,500 direct employees and 4,000 subcontracted personnel, CAMRAIL develops a proactive human resources policy. www.camrail.net

About CAMALCO

CAMALCO S.A is the Cameroonian wholly owned subsidiary of Canyon Resources Ltd, responsible for the development of the strategic bauxite project in Minim-Martap, in the Adamaoua region. Established in 2018, CAMALCO plays a key role in enhancing the mining resources of Cameroon by combining technical expertise, structural investments, and logistical partnerships.