Cameroon’s main seaport has signed a major public-private partnership to modernise its ageing Boscam terminal, in a bid to restore its role as a regional trade hub and strengthen logistics links across Central Africa.
The agreement, concluded on April 10, provides for a 30-year concession under which the entire 126.3 billion CFA franc (US$210 million) investment will be financed by private operator Douala Terre-Port.
The project is being implemented with the support of the Port Authority of Douala, which says the redevelopment is central to its long-term strategy to modernise infrastructure and improve competitiveness.
The Boscam terminal, located on the left bank of the Wouri River in Cameroon’s economic capital Douala, was once a key platform for sub-regional maritime traffic. But its importance declined from the 1990s due to silting, congestion and the gradual deterioration of facilities, including abandoned vessels that reduced operational capacity.
Authorities say recent dredging and cleanup operations have helped restore access to the site, opening the way for its rehabilitation.
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The new project includes the refurbishment of existing infrastructure, the development of a 20-hectare logistics platform, and an optional expansion phase involving the construction of a 700-metre quay to accommodate larger vessels and increase cargo-handling capacity.
Officials estimate that the project will create around 500 direct and indirect jobs during construction and operation, while generating an expected internal rate of return of 12.2 percent over the concession period.
The port authority says the redevelopment is designed to reposition Douala as a competitive logistics and transshipment hub for the Central African region, particularly through the revival of cabotage services linking ports within the CEMAC zone.
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A key objective is to reduce congestion at existing terminals while improving efficiency in cargo handling and vessel turnaround times.
The project is also expected to align with broader continental trade ambitions under the African Continental Free Trade Area, which seeks to boost intra-African trade by lowering transport costs and easing cross-border logistics barriers.
Once completed, the upgraded terminal is expected to introduce streamlined customs and clearance procedures aimed at reducing delays and improving predictability for shipping operators and traders.
Authorities say the modernisation will help lower operating costs, making Douala more attractive as a regional distribution hub at a time when competition among West and Central African ports is intensifying.
Across the region, governments have been investing heavily in port infrastructure to capture growing trade flows and position themselves as logistics gateways for landlocked countries.
Cameroon, which depends heavily on maritime trade for imports and exports, has made port reform a central pillar of its infrastructure development strategy, with Boscam forming part of a broader long-term master plan extending to 2050.
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The plan envisions expanded capacity, improved efficiency and greater integration with regional transport corridors linking Cameroon to Chad, the Central African Republic and other inland markets.
Analysts say the success of the Boscam redevelopment will depend not only on infrastructure delivery but also on regulatory stability, efficient port governance and sustained private investor confidence over the life of the concession.
If implemented effectively, the project could help ease chronic congestion at Douala’s port complex while strengthening its position in regional maritime trade networks.
For Cameroon, the initiative represents both a physical upgrade and a strategic effort to reclaim lost competitiveness in a rapidly evolving regional logistics landscape.
