Cameroon has authorised a €347.5 million ($390.9 million) financing agreement with the World Bank’s International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to support the Douala-Bangui Economic Corridor, strengthening a transport route that connects Cameroon’s Atlantic-facing economic centre with Bangui in the Central African Republic.
The authorisation, contained in a presidential decree signed by President Paul Biya, forms part of a broader effort to improve transport infrastructure and trade connectivity across Central Africa. The World Bank approved a wider $1.12 billion, multi-phase programme for the corridor in June, with the first phase allocating $407 million to Cameroon and $90 million to the Central African Republic, alongside regional financing.
The roughly 1,400-kilometre corridor is a major commercial artery for the landlocked Central African Republic, with the World Bank describing it as a critical route for the movement of goods between the country and the port infrastructure of Cameroon. The programme is intended to rehabilitate roads, improve road safety, strengthen logistics infrastructure and address trade and transport bottlenecks.
In a separate decree, Cameroon also authorised its economy minister to sign a €212.35 million financing agreement with the Islamic Development Bank for the rehabilitation of the 218.9-kilometre Douala-Bafoussam road. The project divides the highway into three sections and includes road rehabilitation, bridge works, drainage and road-safety infrastructure.
The new commitments come against a backdrop of significant public financing requirements. In August 2025, the Cameroonian presidency authorised the finance minister to raise up to CFAF930 billion through domestic and external borrowing for development projects and the clearance of outstanding payments.
For Cameroon and its neighbours, the corridor investments highlight the importance of physical infrastructure in reducing the cost and time of moving goods across borders. Their longer-term impact will depend not only on construction, but also on maintenance, trade facilitation and the effectiveness of cross-border institutions.
