• Cameroon launches process to transpose CEMAC’s new PPP directive into national law.

• Reform seeks to modernise outdated PPP systems and boost investor confidence.

• Success will hinge on stronger institutions, especially CARPA, and clearer procedures.

Cameroon has officially launched the national process to integrate the new CEMAC directive on public-private partnerships (PPPs). The initiative follows a workshop held on 9 December 2025 in Yaoundé, chaired by Paul Tasong, Minister Delegate to the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development in charge of planning. The session marked the formal start of activities to transpose the regional text into domestic law.

Adopted on 25 February 2025, the directive aims to create a harmonised legal and institutional framework for designing, awarding and managing PPP contracts across the Central African Economic and Monetary Community. It establishes standard procedures, clarifies the role of each actor and seeks to foster a more predictable environment for investors across the region. Under CEMAC rules, member states must transpose such directives into their domestic legislation, generally within 12 to 18 months.

A Reform Meant to Strengthen PPP Governance in Cameroon

Although Cameroon has had a PPP law since 2006 and an implementing decree since 2016, the national framework has long been considered outdated. Procedures are fragmented, project preparation is inconsistent, and the lack of standardised methods weakens transparency. As a result, Cameroon has struggled to mobilise private investment for major infrastructure projects. Transposing the CEMAC directive is therefore not only a legal obligation but also a significant opportunity to modernise a system that has struggled to deliver effective outcomes.

A key issue in this reform is the repositioning of the Council for Support to the Realisation of Partnership Contracts (CARPA), the technical body responsible for PPP development in the country. For years, CARPA has operated with limited resources and unclear authority relative to sector ministries and the Ministry of Finance. The directive provides a more explicit mandate for CARPA in project screening, risk analysis, contract standardisation and monitoring. Strengthening this institution is widely viewed as essential for improving the credibility and efficiency of PPP governance.

The directive is also expected to enhance transparency and investor confidence. Cameroon, like other CEMAC states, faces growing pressure on public finances and limited access to traditional borrowing. PPPs are increasingly seen as an alternative solution for financing roads, energy infrastructure, water treatment plants, hospitals and urban development. Investors, however, continue to call for more explicit risk-allocation rules, greater contractual stability and predictable fiscal commitments. Although the directive represents progress, observers note that it does not yet provide tools to fully address the budgetary impact of counterpart-fund requirements on public debt—an issue that major lenders frequently highlight.

Implications for Cameroon’s Infrastructure Pipeline and Regional Strategy

The directive’s scope covers all economic sectors except oil, gas, mining, defence, security and projects requiring confidentiality, focusing instead on civilian infrastructure and public-service-oriented investment. It expands PPP typologies, including a new non-concessive urban development model that can support local urban plans, housing policies, and the development of economic activity zones.

Its implementation is expected to directly impact several significant projects in Cameroon, such as the Edéa–Kribi highway, regional hospital PPPs, urban redevelopment programmes in Douala and Yaoundé, and renewable-energy and water-treatment initiatives. Improved governance, clearer procedures and enhanced institutional capacity could help unlock delayed investments and improve access to both concessional and private financing.

Speaking at the workshop, Paul Tasong highlighted Cameroon’s responsibility to preserve CEMAC's achievements, including the stability of the Central African CFA franc. He stressed that harmonised budgetary policies are necessary to strengthen the region’s monetary union. Pierre-Guillaume Boum Bissai, CEMAC’s resident representative in Cameroon, underlined the region’s severe infrastructure deficits in transport, energy, telecommunications, digital services and healthcare. The World Bank estimates the regional financing gap at around 2,500 billion FCFA annually. Limited budgetary capacity and a shallow financial market constrain the region’s ability to fund essential infrastructure, making the mobilisation of private capital even more urgent.

With the launch of the transposition process, Cameroon positions itself to align its national legislation with CEMAC’s broader economic strategy to boost investment, enhance fiscal coordination, and address the region’s substantial infrastructure needs. The success of this reform will depend on institutional strengthening, particularly the empowerment of CARPA, improved inter-ministerial coordination and the adoption of clear, investor-friendly procedures.

Mercy Fosoh, Edited by Idriss Linge