The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved US$357 million to upgrade a key 156-kilometre road corridor in eastern Cameroon, officials said Friday, in a major move aimed at boosting regional trade, reducing transport costs, and improving infrastructure in one of the country’s most remote and underserved regions.
The funding, approved on February 18 by the AfDB Board of Directors, will finance the first phase of the Cross-Border Economic Basin Connectivity and Access Program in the East Region (PDCBET). The project targets the Ngoura II–Yokadouma section, part of the strategic Bertoua–Batouri–Ngoura II–Yokadouma–Moloundou corridor linking Cameroon to the Republic of Congo. This corridor is a vital artery for trade, connecting production zones in eastern Cameroon with cross-border markets and facilitating commerce across Central Africa.
“By improving connectivity in the East Region and linking it more closely to cross-border corridors, we are helping unlock productive potential and strengthen regional integration in Central Africa,” said Léandre Bassolé, AfDB’s Director General for Central Africa.
Authorities said the road project is designed not only to improve mobility but also to strengthen social cohesion and reduce regional disparities in a part of the country long hampered by poor infrastructure. Cameroon’s East Region, covering nearly 109,000 km²—about 23 percent of national territory—is one of the least served by paved roads. Only an estimated 6.25 percent of the network is paved, with a road density of just 0.70 km per 1,000 inhabitants. The lack of roads has constrained development, particularly in agriculture, forestry, and mining, sectors that are critical for local livelihoods and national economic growth.
The upgrade is expected to generate at least 2,500 direct and indirect jobs, with special attention to benefiting young people, women, and vulnerable minority groups. Authorities said the initiative would also improve access to public services, reduce transport costs for goods, and enhance the competitiveness of economic operators in the region.
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The road works are part of a broader strategy of regional economic integration, strengthening links between production basins in eastern Cameroon and cross-border corridors connecting the country with the Republic of Congo and other Central African markets. Analysts say the project could facilitate trade flows, attract investment, and expand markets for Cameroonian products, while improving the economic resilience of local communities.
The AfDB noted that modernizing transport infrastructure in remote regions is a central element of its broader development strategy in Central Africa, aiming to improve economic competitiveness, reduce poverty, and enhance the movement of goods and people. Officials highlighted that the project will create year-round access to roads, which is critical in a region prone to seasonal disruptions from rains and poor road conditions.
Beyond economic benefits, the PDCBET project is expected to foster regional integration and strengthen ties with neighboring countries, supporting Central Africa’s broader agenda for cross-border cooperation and trade. Improved road infrastructure is seen as essential for mobilizing resources, expanding trade, and ensuring that isolated regions participate fully in national and regional development.
Cameroon’s government welcomed the AfDB’s financing as a crucial step toward addressing infrastructure gaps, improving local livelihoods, and enhancing economic opportunities for remote communities. Officials said that by upgrading the Ngoura II–Yokadouma corridor, the country will unlock the East Region’s productive potential, support private sector growth, and promote inclusive development.
The project is part of a growing focus on infrastructure investment in Central Africa, which experts say is key to reducing transport costs, improving supply chains, and enabling sustainable economic growth across the sub-region. With the AfDB’s support, Cameroon expects to strengthen regional connectivity, increase trade efficiency, and improve social and economic outcomes for communities in one of its most challenging regions.
