At N’Djamena Forum, Cameroon Pitches Nearly $4bn Water Compact

Cameroon presented its nearly $4 billion national Water Compact at the African Water Forum in N’Djamena, Chad, on July 15, outlining the investments and reforms it plans to implement to strengthen water security.

Water and Energy Minister Gaston Eloundou Essomba attended the forum as the personal representative of the head of state. Addressing African ministers, development institutions and financial partners, he said Cameroon had secured about 30% of the financing required for the program and was in discussions to mobilize an additional amount equivalent to 30% of its estimated cost.

He called on development partners to help finance the remaining investments, according to information published by the Ministry of Water and Energy.

The presentation took place under the World Bank’s Water Forward initiative, which seeks to mobilize financing for water security projects across Africa. Eloundou Essomba told participants that water remains a national priority for Cameroon despite the country’s abundant resources.

The challenge, he explained, lies partly in their uneven distribution. Many communities still lack reliable access to safe drinking water, while shortages and inadequate infrastructure constrain activities that depend on a stable water supply.

“We want to make water a driver of growth,” the minister said, according to the ministry.

Water Shortages Affect Agriculture, Livestock and Energy

Cameroon’s Water Compact approaches water security as both a public service issue and an economic challenge. The government says inadequate infrastructure is limiting productivity in agriculture, livestock farming, electricity generation and industry.

In some regions, farmers cannot fully use the water available during the rainy season because of insufficient storage and irrigation facilities. This contributes to low agricultural yields and leaves production vulnerable to seasonal rainfall patterns. The consequences are also evident in Cameroon’s Sahelian areas, where limited water availability during the dry season contributes to substantial livestock losses.

Electricity generation faces similar pressures. Hydropower accounts for nearly 80% of Cameroon’s electricity mix, making the sector particularly dependent on stable water flows. Declining flows at some dams have reduced generation capacity, affecting supplies to households and businesses.

These constraints explain the government’s decision to place water management within its broader economic development strategy. Better infrastructure would allow the country to store more water during periods of abundance and make it available when rainfall declines, while supporting food production and power generation.

The Compact Combines Infrastructure and Governance Reforms

The government has developed and validated the Water Compact as its national roadmap for water security. The framework combines investment priorities with policy and governance reforms intended to improve water services and strengthen the long-term management of the resource.

Eloundou Essomba acknowledged weaknesses in the governance of the public water sector. He said planned reforms would seek to improve service delivery, institutional efficiency and overall sector performance. Some of the investments are already receiving support from the World Bank and the African Development Bank through the Cameroon Water Security Project, known as SEWASH.

The project includes the construction of about 100 small-scale drinking water supply systems in Sahelian regions. It also supports governance reforms intended to improve the management and performance of the water sector.

The Water Compact is expected to bring these existing initiatives and future projects within a broader national investment framework. With only part of the required financing secured, its implementation will depend on the government’s ability to attract additional public, private and blended funding.

A Broader Continental Financing Push

Cameroon’s presentation comes as African governments and development institutions seek to accelerate investment in water infrastructure. More than 400 million people across Africa still lack access to basic drinking water services, while over 700 million lack basic sanitation, according to World Bank figures published ahead of the forum.

The institution has warned that water scarcity could reduce economic growth by as much as 6% in some regions if investment and policy action do not accelerate. The effects could be even greater in the Sahel, where communities and economic activities are particularly exposed to prolonged water shortages. The World Bank considers water infrastructure a strategic economic asset because of its role in agricultural productivity, electricity generation, public health and regional stability.

Co-organized by the Chadian government and the World Bank Group, the African Water Forum brings together heads of state, ministers, development finance institutions, river basin organizations and private sector representatives. The forum focuses on mobilizing public, private and blended financing, advancing national water compacts and connecting investment-ready projects with potential financial partners.

Mercy Fosoh