Cameroon Approves $185 Million World Bank Loan to Modernize Douala and Yaoundé

(Business in Cameroon) – Cameroon’s president on Sept. 11 signed a decree authorizing the Minister of Economy, Planning, and Regional Development (MINEPAT) to finalize a funding agreement with the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s arm for low-income countries.

The $184.9 million loan, equivalent to about 121.3 billion CFA francs, will finance the new Sustainable Cities and Land Management Project (PVGFD). This initiative follows the Inclusive and Resilient Cities Development Project (PDVIR), which ended in August 2025. Its goal is to strengthen the resilience of the cities of Douala and Yaoundé through modern infrastructure, more transparent land management, and inclusive urban planning.

This financial support comes at a critical time for Cameroon’s two largest cities, which are struggling with degraded roads, disorganized urbanization, and infrastructure poorly adapted to climate change. The PVGFD, structured into two components, aims to significantly improve urban life in these metropolitan areas.

The first component, “Transformative and Climate-Smart Urban Improvement,” targets short- and medium-term infrastructure deficits. In Yaoundé, 28 km of roads will be built or rehabilitated, including key four-lane arteries and secondary loops to improve traffic flow. In Douala, 26 km of new roads are planned, notably the ring road connecting Bonamoussadi to PK10 and the East Urban Boulevard. Additionally, 40 km of roads will be maintained and 10 km of drains, including those in Tongo’a Bassa and Bobongo, will be constructed to reduce recurrent flooding. These projects will be supplemented by strategic studies, such as a national urban modernization program and pilot projects to combat slums.

The second component focuses on land governance by developing and testing a Land Information System (LIS) in Douala and Yaoundé. It also includes digitizing and indexing cadastral archives, creating digital maps, and producing aerial orthophotos. A modern building dedicated to land archives will be constructed in Yaoundé to centralize data and support more transparent and efficient land management.

Approved in May 2025 for a six-year term, the PVGFD is expected to directly or indirectly benefit more than two million people. Its anticipated impacts include improved access to urban infrastructure and services, as well as the modernization of land planning tools. Beyond the numbers, the project reflects a commitment to placing cities at the center of public policy and making them engines of territorial equity and economic resilience.

Frédéric Nonos

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