• Presidential Decree 2019-034 transformed PAD from landlord to master developer, allowing PAD to monetise surplus plots and diversify revenue, exactly the playbook used by  Rotterdam, Durban, and Singapore.
• PAD’s 360 bn CFA intake is a textbook BOT cash-flow stack: 264 m CFA fixed rent yearly (6.6 bn total), 3 % variable on turnover (≈ 30 bn), 985 m CFA signing bonus, plus 19.6 % equity sweeps after debt service (≈ 322 bn).
• The 11,000 m² Muaye complex will rise 21 floors, offering 282 rooms, 1,000 m² of conference and co-working space, rooftop bar, spa, tennis court, three underground parking levels and landscaped gardens.

The Port Autonome de Douala (PAD) anticipates collecting an estimated 360 billion CFA francs over the next 28 years after formally granting a prime 11,000 m² parcel on its private domain to LEILAK ESTATES CORPORATION for the design, finance, construction, and operation of a five-star hotel. The concession contract was signed on 1 August 2025 under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) arrangement that involves no capital outlay and no sovereign guarantee by either the State or PAD.

Based on various media reports of this headline, the revenue stream is structured around four main pillars. First, a fixed concession fee of approximately 264 million CFA francs annually for 25 years guarantees 6.6 billion CFA francs in revenue. Second, a variable fee equal to 3% of annual turnover is expected to add another 1.2 billion CFA francs per year, or 30 billion over the concession period. Third, an up-front “ticket d’entrée” of 1.5 million euros (≈ 985 million CFA francs) was paid upon signing. Fourth, PAD retains 19.6% of net operating cash flow after debt service, estimated at approximately 322 billion CFA francs over 25 years. Collectively, these streams culminate in the headline figure of 360 billion CFA francs.

The asset itself will be a 21-storey tower plus annexes constructed on reclaimed port land. It will provide 282 keys (120 twin-bed, 132 double, 30 suites including diplomatic suites), 1,000 m² of conference and co-working space, a rooftop bar, multiple restaurants, a spa, a tennis court, an outdoor pool, three levels of underground parking, and extensive landscaped gardens. All designs adhere to international standards: BIM modelling, IGH high-rise safety codes, accessibility standards for persons with reduced mobility (PMR), and environmental certification objectives.

The legal foundation allowing PAD to serve as both landlord and profit-sharing investor is Presidential Decree n°2019/034 of 24 January 2019, which designated the port authority as the official developer of its land bank. Since then, PAD has managed a sizeable portfolio of real estate assets inherited from the former ONPC, enabling it to diversify income sources beyond maritime tariffs. The Hôtel Muaye project directly aligns with the 2020-2050 master plan goal of converting surplus port land into long-term revenue streams, a model already adopted by Rotterdam, Durban, and Singapore to enhance financial independence.

Beyond PAD’s direct income, the project offers benefits to all stakeholder groups. The Cameroonian State is expected to collect approximately 500 billion CFA francs over 25 years through VAT, corporate income tax, tourism levies, payroll taxes, and social-security contributions—roughly 30.4% of net cash flow after debt service. Local employment will peak at about 1,000 temporary construction jobs during the 30-month build, then stabilise at 350 permanent hotel positions plus another 300 indirect jobs in security, catering, transport, maintenance, and handicrafts.

Procurement of food, beverages, furniture, laundry, and IT services locally is budgeted at 25–30% of annual operating expenditure, injecting an estimated 3.5 billion CFA francs annually into Douala’s SME ecosystem once the hotel is operational. Finally, the 1,600 m² conference centre and substantial banqueting facilities are expected to attract regional MICE events, extend average visitor stays, and stimulate complementary investments in restaurants, retail, and transport around the expanded port zone.

However, the risks associated with unknown factors are equally important. LEILAK SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL—the U.S.-registered parent company that secured the international call for expressions of interest—lacks a verifiable track record of completed five-star hotel projects in environments with constrained credit. Public domain searches only reveal unrelated entities such as Lilac Solutions (lithium extraction, $145 million Series C) or L.E.K. Consulting, leaving the SPV’s technical capacity and financial robustness unclear.

The wider PPP landscape in sub-Saharan Africa shows 30–50% of hotel and mixed-use concessions fall short of pro-forma targets due to cost overruns or foreign exchange shocks; Cameroon’s recent successes (Nachtigal hydro, Kribi port) depended on consortia with proven African experience. Without audited financial statements or disclosed profiles of key personnel, there is a significant credibility concern that lenders, rating agencies, and civil society will scrutinise carefully before any construction begins.

Idriss Linge