• Cameroon to overhaul transport licensing under World Bank-backed corridor project
• New system aims to boost efficiency on Douala-N’Djamena trade route
• Reforms include operator training, regulatory support, and infrastructure upgrades

Cameroon plans to modernise its road transport sector by introducing a new licensing system for carriers and vehicles. The reform falls under the World Bank-funded Regional Project to improve performance on the Douala-N’Djamena rail and road corridor.

The ministry has issued a tender to hire a consulting firm to carry out a preliminary study ahead of the system’s rollout. The work is part of a broader programme to rehabilitate and modernise road and rail infrastructure along the Douala-N’Djamena axis.

The consultant will assess the road transport sector and propose measures to improve efficiency and competitiveness. The assignment also includes support for operators that do not yet comply with the new regulatory framework. It will also provide training for transport operators and ministry staff, aiming to ease implementation of the new rules and limit disruption, particularly for smaller operators.

The 15-month project reflects the government’s push to overhaul a sector it sees as critical to Cameroon’s logistics competitiveness.

Authorities say the reforms should support trade along the Douala-N’Djamena corridor, a key route for traffic between Cameroon and landlocked Chad. The combination of infrastructure upgrades and regulatory reform is expected to improve reliability, safety and performance on the corridor, with potential effects on transport costs, transit times and its appeal to shippers.

Amina Malloum