Cameroon Courts Diaspora Capital to Help Close Housing Gap

Cameroon is looking to channel more real estate investment from its citizens abroad. On May 19, 2026, Foreign Minister Lejeune Mbella Mbella and Ahmadou Sardaouna, CEO of the state-owned Cameroon Real Estate Corporation (SIC), signed a partnership agreement in Yaoundé to promote the company’s housing projects to the Cameroonian diaspora.

The agreement launches Diaspora-SIC, a program designed to direct part of the savings held by Cameroonians overseas into the country’s real estate sector. It creates a framework for cooperation between the Ministry of External Relations and SIC to market the company’s projects internationally and attract technical and financial partners through Cameroon’s diplomatic network.

Under the arrangement, the ministry will rely on Cameroonian embassies and consulates to showcase 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 organized through diplomatic missions.

SIC, for its part, plans to develop an international catalog of housing products supported by a secure digital platform. The company will also oversee project implementation, issue regular progress reports, and participate in a joint committee responsible for monitoring execution of the agreement.

Building Confidence in Real Estate Investment

Trust sits at the heart of the initiative. Program promoters highlight several mechanisms designed to reassure investors, including foreign-currency escrow accounts, phased payments tied to construction progress, compliance with international anti-money laundering standards, and the possibility of issuing real estate bonds targeted at the diaspora.

The measures address a concern shared by many Cameroonians abroad: the risks associated with investing remotely in a local property market often affected by land disputes, unfinished developments, unreliable intermediaries, and weak contractual protections. Through Diaspora-SIC, the state-owned developer aims to position itself as a trusted institutional partner capable of securing transactions and restoring confidence in real estate investment.

Beyond Housing Sales

The program also carries broader economic ambitions. Money transfers from Cameroonians living abroad represent a major financial resource, but much of it still goes toward household consumption, family support, healthcare, and education. According to estimates cited by the Treasury Department, diaspora remittances reached about CFA650 billion in 2025.

The government now wants to convert part of those flows into long-term investment. By directing diaspora savings toward housing projects, authorities hope to support home construction, diversify sources of financing for the economy, and generate benefits in the form of jobs, business opportunities for local companies, and additional tax revenue.

The challenge is significant. Cameroon faces a housing deficit estimated at around 2.5 million units, according to figures regularly cited by sector authorities. While diaspora investment could become an important source of funding, it will not be enough on its own to close the gap.

The success of Diaspora-SIC will therefore depend on its ability to deliver tangible guarantees, meet project deadlines, secure property titles, and provide transparent information about investment opportunities. To transform an institutional agreement into a genuine investment channel, Cameroon will need to prove that diaspora savings can be invested in local real estate without exposing investors to the risks that have fueled distrust for years.

Frédéric Nonos