Cameroon is seeking to attract more real estate investment from its citizens living abroad as part of efforts to address a housing deficit estimated at 2.5 million units.
The initiative was formalised on May 19 through a partnership agreement signed in Yaounde by Foreign Minister Lejeune Mbella Mbella and Ahmadou Sardaouna, head of the state-owned Cameroon Real Estate Corporation (SIC).
The agreement establishes the Diaspora-SIC programme, which aims to channel part of the savings held by Cameroonians overseas into the country’s housing sector. The programme creates a framework for cooperation between the Ministry of External Relations and SIC to promote housing projects internationally and attract financial and technical partners through Cameroon’s diplomatic network.
Under the arrangement, Cameroonian embassies and consulates will help market SIC housing projects abroad. Dedicated diaspora contact points are expected to be established in selected regions, while promotional events, including “SIC Real Estate Weeks”, may be organised through diplomatic missions.
SIC plans to develop an international catalogue of housing products supported by a secure digital platform. The company will also oversee project implementation, provide regular progress reports and participate in a joint committee tasked with monitoring the programme.
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Officials say building trust among diaspora investors is central to the initiative. Proposed safeguards include foreign-currency escrow accounts, phased payments linked to construction milestones, compliance with international anti-money laundering standards and the possible issuance of diaspora-targeted real estate bonds.
The measures are intended to address concerns frequently cited by Cameroonians abroad, including land disputes, incomplete developments, unreliable intermediaries and weak contractual protections in the local property market.
Beyond increasing home ownership, the government hopes the programme will redirect part of the country’s sizeable remittance inflows into long-term productive investment. According to Treasury estimates, remittances from Cameroonians living abroad reached about 650 billion CFA francs in 2025.
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Authorities believe that channeling a portion of those funds into housing projects could stimulate construction activity, create jobs, support local businesses and generate additional tax revenue.
Analysts note, however, that attracting diaspora capital alone will not be enough to close Cameroon’s housing gap. The success of Diaspora-SIC is likely to depend on the government’s ability to deliver projects on schedule, secure property rights, ensure transparency and provide credible guarantees that protect investors from risks that have historically undermined confidence in the sector.
