Cameroon signs US$1.4B deals to turn urban waste into energy

CAMEROON – Cameroon’s government has signed two major agreements with private firms to develop waste-to-energy facilities in Douala and Yaoundé, targeting a combined investment of CFA856.8 billion (approximately US$1.4 billion).

Minister Célestine Ketcha Courtès formalised the memorandums with Thermosun Cameroon and Blue Energy Holding on March 12 in Yaoundé.

The initiatives aim to build industrial units converting urban waste into biogas, electricity, hydrogen, and compost.

From Forum to Industrial Ambition

The agreements follow the May 2025 national forum, where authorities described sanitation conditions in Douala and Yaoundé as “concerning.”

For now, the agreements remain expressions of intent, requiring secure financing, proven technology, and operator coordination.

Thermosun’s US$451 Million Recovery Plan

Thermosun Cameroon proposes two waste recovery plants with an estimated investment of CFA276.8 billion (US$451 million).

The facilities would use Smargine Engineering technology to process 833 tons daily, equivalent to nearly 280,000 tons annually.

Neither the project timeline nor financial structure has been made public.

Blue Energy’s Broader US$945 Million Vision

Blue Energy Holding outlines a programme with a total estimated investment of CFA580 billion (US$945 million). Promoters indicated that 30 percent, around CFA174 billion (US$283 million), would come from the Cameroonian state, though details remain unspecified.

The facilities could process up to 3,000 tons daily and generate approximately 912 GWh of electricity annually.

The proposal includes deploying 600 eco-friendly buses, 1,000 biogas-powered trucks, and 10,000 waste bins. Developers project over 15,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Current Sector Realities

These projects arrive in a sector under strain. Douala produces 2,700 tons of waste daily, yet only 1,800 tons are collected.

For 2026, Douala allocated CFA7 billion (US$11.4 million) for waste management. In Yaoundé, Hysacam secured contracts worth over CFA45 billion (US$73.3 million) in November 2025.

Financial and Infrastructure GapsCustoms data shows the waste collection tax generates approximately CFA20.2 billion (US$32.9 million) annually nationwide.

A World Bank study estimated at least CFA15 billion (US$24.4 million) annually is needed for Yaoundé alone.

Current funding remains below this threshold. Both the PK10 and Nkolfoulou landfills near capacity.

The Road Ahead

The CFA856.8 billion (US$1.4 billion) announced represents a bet on building an industrial waste sector in Cameroon, turning a persistent urban challenge into sustainable economic activity.

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