Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, met with South Africa’s High Commissioner, Mandla Langa, to discuss revitalizing the joint commission between the two nations. This body, crucial for monitoring and evaluating the Cameroon-South Africa trade agreement, last convened in 2018, its activities disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Signed in September 2006, the trade agreement led to the creation of an interministerial committee overseen by the Minister of Trade, serving as a platform to discuss priority sectors for cooperation and trade exchanges between the two countries. During the meeting, the South African diplomat expressed his commitment to personally facilitate the resumption of the commission’s vital work.

Beyond trade, Cameroon and South Africa’s relationship includes agreements on air transport, double taxation avoidance, and various political and economic initiatives. On July 24, 2024, President Paul Biya ratified a bilateral agreement to enhance air operations and trade exchanges, a deal initially signed in Cape Town in 2011. Economically, South African companies have a strong presence in Cameroon, MTN being one of them.

In 2023, South Africa solidified its position as Cameroon’s second-largest African trading partner, exporting 143.8 tons of goods worth 47.9 billion CFA franc, representing 1.6% of Cameroon’s imports, according to the National Institute of Statistics. Cameroon’s exports to South Africa also increased, reaching 46 billion CFA francs in 2023, up from 44.5 billion CFA francs the previous year.

Minister Mbarga Atangana praised the “excellence and diversity” of relations between Yaoundé and Pretoria, reaffirming President Paul Biya’s commitment to attracting more South African investors. He highlighted Cameroon’s favorable business environment and the opportunities available to foreign investors.

Source: Sbbc

Amid growing criticism from competitors like MTN Cameroon over the quality of its internet services, state-owned telecommunications company Camtel, which holds exclusive rights to distribute fiber-optic connections, has continued to defend its infrastructure. On Camtel Actu on Saturday, September 21, Camtel’s Director General, Judith Yah Sunday, stated, “Not only do we have the capabilities, but we also have redundancy.” She explained, “This means that if the underground cable is cut, we have the Eneo cable (the electric utility, Ed.) on the high-voltage lines to ensure service continuity.”

According to the director, “Even if our cable is cut, communications are automatically switched to Eneo’s high-voltage cable, and everything continues to function without anyone noticing.” Nevertheless, Camtel’s internet services are frequently disrupted, frustrating consumers and annoying competitors, many of whom rely on Camtel as their service provider. Camtel, which claims to be the guarantor of Cameroon’s “digital sovereignty,” often blames these network disruptions on roadworks that damage the underground cable.

To highlight the reliability of its infrastructure as the “only operator capable of providing capacity to all other operators,” Yah Sunday emphasized that Camtel operates a national terrestrial backbone that connects all ten regions, along with four submarine cables linking Cameroon to the rest of the world. As a result, she added, “Even in the extraordinary event of a cable being cut between Yaoundé and Douala, we have a redundant path through Bafoussam via the Douala-Bafoussam-Yaoundé axis.“

This marks Camtel’s second public response in a week to criticisms over the quality of internet services provided by the country’s historical telecommunications operator. In a statement on September 18, published in the government daily Cameroon Tribune, Yah Sunday accused competitors of contributing to poor network performance “due to their large subscriber base and insufficient measures taken to manage their traffic efficiently.“

Source: Sbbc

Cameroon will host a trade mission from September 19 to 23, 2024, featuring members of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council. The Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Handicrafts (Ccima) issued a notice inviting local businesses to take part in this event, which will be held in Yaoundé and Douala.

The delegation will meet with government officials, including Prime Minister Joseph Dion Nguté. Business-to-business (B2B) meetings, a roundtable discussion, and a business dinner are also planned. These events will provide Indian, Commonwealth, and Cameroonian businesses with the chance to explore collaboration opportunities.

This trade mission includes leaders from about 20 companies. These firms operate in various sectors, including pharmaceuticals, defense, manufacturing, banking, solar energy, automotive, construction, and telecommunications. Cameroonian businesses could benefit from India’s experience, as India is a long-standing trading partner.

In 2023, this Asian nation ranked as Cameroon’s third-largest customer, accounting for 9.6% of the market share. India was also the second-largest supplier, following China, with 11.6% of the market. Cameroon primarily exports mining products to India, including liquefied natural gas (49.9%) and crude oil (48.4%). Imports from India include diesel (33.1%), semi-milled or polished rice (18.6%), aviation fuel (9.3%), medicines (6.1%), and frozen fish (2.8%).

However, the trade balance in 2023 showed a deficit of CFA254 billion, unfavorable to Cameroon.

Source: Business in Cameroon

Businesses in Cameroon increased their investments by 19% in 2023, according to a report released on September 10 by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). However, despite this rise, the deterioration of production equipment continues, increasing from 59.6% in 2022 to 60.1% in 2023, the document noted.

This means that even though companies put more money into their operations in 2023, —up from a 13% increase in 2022—most of the equipment used for production is still in bad shape. This ongoing issue, often due to maintenance problems, usually leads to lower productivity and various economic problems like decreased sales, shortages, and temporary job losses.

On a positive note, 2023 saw the highest level of investment spending since the recovery began in 2021, following a slowdown between 2018 and 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in 2020, caused major disruptions globally due to lockdowns.

Bank Loans Driving Investment

The rise in investment was mainly driven by businesses in two key sectors. The INS report highlights that investments in the primary sector (up by 86.9%) and the secondary sector (up by 36.9%) were particularly strong. This trend is also reflected in a foreign trade report released on May 4, 2024, which shows a 26% increase in spending on imported equipment and machinery in 2023 compared to the previous year.

“Mechanical and electrical equipment are essential for the country’s economic growth. Imports of these items made up 13.2% of all import spending in 2023, totaling CFA656 billion, which is a 26.5% increase from 2022. This demonstrates Cameroon’s commitment to improving its technological capabilities,” the report noted.

Furthermore, this surge in investment came alongside an increase in medium- and long-term bank loans, which are better suited for funding infrastructure and production projects. According to the 2023 activity report from the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), medium-term loans in Cameroon grew by 4.9% from 2022 to 2023, while long-term loans saw a significant 48.2% increase during the same period.

Source: Business in Cameroon

The Central Bank of Central African States (BEAC) announced yesterday a new liquidity injection for banks, amounting to CFA200 billion. This comes just a week after a similar operation for CFA250 billion, which saw a subscription rate of almost 170%. Banks had expressed a total demand of CFA423 billion.

After gradually increasing the weekly liquidity offer from CFA50 billion in June 2024, when liquidity injections into the banking sector resumed, to CFA250 billion in August 2024 BEAC has now reduced its offer. However, recent refinancing operations show that banks in the CEMAC region are in significant need of liquidity. In recent months, demand has consistently exceeded supply.

This cautious approach by the central bank is aimed at balancing the fight against inflation with the need for economic growth. BEAC continues to tighten its refinancing policy to curb inflation, despite signs that inflation has eased in the CEMAC region over the past few months. BEAC notes that economic growth, which depends on financing the economy, is projected at 3.6% in 2024 the highest level in a decade.

Source: Business in Cameroon

In 2023, Cameroon exported 1,648.3 tons of coffee to France, earning CFA2.3 billion, according to a report by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). The report highlights that only robusta coffee, one of the two main types produced in Cameroon, was sold to France in that year.

The INS report shows a significant increase in the value of Cameroon’s coffee exports to France between 2021 and 2023. Over these three years, the value has quadrupled, likely due to a rise in global coffee prices and the increased volume of coffee shipped.

In 2021, Cameroon exported just 604.4 tons of robusta coffee to France, generating nearly CFA580 million. By the following year, the shipments had grown to 1,264.4 tons, bringing in CFA1.6 billion in export revenue.

The growing interest of French consumers in Cameroonian coffee has boosted its position among the top 10 products exported from Cameroon to France, ranking just ahead of bananas and just behind cocoa derivatives like butter, oil, and paste.

Source: Business in Cameroon

In 2023, Cameroon’s export revenue to the European Union (EU) totaled CFA1,524.6 billion, down from CFA1,964.4 billion in 2022, according to a report by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). This represents a 22.4% decline year-over-year, reversing a trend of increasing export revenue to the EU since 2020. The decrease is primarily due to a 33.3% drop in revenue from hydrocarbon sales.

On the other hand, Cameroon’s imports from the EU have increased during the same period. The value of goods imported from the EU rose to CFA1,323 billion in 2023, up from CFA1,267 billion in 2022, marking a 4.4% year-over-year increase.

Despite the decline in export revenue, Cameroon still maintained a trade surplus of CFA201.5 billion with the EU. However, this surplus is 71% lower compared to 2022, when it was CFA697.6 billion. The INS report suggests that while the trade balance remains positive, the significant drop in trade with the EU highlights the need to reduce imports of certain products that negatively impact the trade balance, and to invigorate and diversify export activities.

In 2023, fuel and lubricants were the most expensive imports from the EU, accounting for 22.4% of total imports. This was followed by wheat and barley at 10.8%, medicines (including veterinary) at 4.8%, and unroasted malt at 3.6%. The main exports from Cameroon to the EU in 2023 included crude oil, which made up 42.6% of exports, followed by raw cocoa beans at 17%, liquefied natural gas at 15.1%, and sawn timber at 7%.

Source: Business in Cameroon

In July 2024, Cameroon’s inflation rate reached 3.9%, marking a 0.1% increase year-over-year and averaging 5.4% over the past 12 months, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS). This rate continues to exceed the 3% threshold set by the Cemac for multilateral surveillance.

The INS reports that inflationary pressures during this period were driven by rising food prices and transportation costs. Over the last year, food prices in Cameroon have increased by an average of 7%, while transportation costs have surged by 14.4%.

It is important to note that since February 3, 2024, the Cameroonian government has implemented another hike in fuel prices at the pump, following a previous increase on February 1, 2023. This move has led to higher transportation costs, both urban and interurban, which in turn has impacted the prices of everyday consumer goods.

Source: Business in Cameroon

Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea have signed a groundbreaking deal to build a gas pipeline between the two countries, in a move that will help maximise the use of a liquefied natural gas plant on Bioko Island.

This agreement could be the precursor to a recent initiative to build oil and gas pipelines in the Gulf of Guinea region, linking both littoral nations as well as those inland to promote hydrocarbon usage within Africa and help industrialise the continent.

During a three-day state visit to Equatorial Guinea by Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu this week, the two nations signed an agreement to construct what they call the Gulf of Guinea Gas Pipeline (GGGP).

The initial aim is to transport gas from Nigeria to Equatorial Guinea where it will be processed at the LNG plant in Punta Europa.

The deal, which was signed by Tinubu as well as Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo on the evening of 14 August, outlines plans for a pipeline, LNG facility feedstock and gas sales to power companies and industrial users, in a move to boost energy security and regional trade in West Africa.

The agreement covered legislative and regulatory measures linked to the GGGP, as well as issues such as ownership, operations and gas transit arrangements.

Details of the pipeline route were not revealed.

Antonio Oburu Ondo, Equatorial Guinea’s Minister of Mines & Hydrocarbons, said: “By partnering with Nigeria … we are not only strengthening bilateral cooperation but also regional collaboration to ensure a secure and reliable supply of gas for our LNG facility at Punta Europa for years to come.

“This project will unlock immense economic value for both our nations, driving sustainable development and energy security across the region.”

The LNG plant is currently supplied with gas from Marathon’s Alba gas field, and Chevron’s Alen field.

A second phase involves processing gas from Alba under new contractual terms, while the third phase will tap gas from Chevron’s Aseng field.

Earlier this year, Equatorial Guinea also signed a bilateral trade agreement with neighbouring Cameroon to developed trans-border gas and condensate fields, also operated by Chevron, with the gas slated for use as feedstock for the Bioko LNG plant.

Source: Upstream