Cameroon Formalizes Land Transfer for Regional Afreximbank-Backed Medical Centre

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, MINHDU, has formalized the transfer of a 10-hectare site for the future African Medical Centre of Excellence, CMEA, in Yaounde. According to officials, securing the land to host the medical hub marks a new step in the implementation of the regional healthcare infrastructure project backed by Afreximbank.

The land allocation was confirmed recently during a ceremony held on July 5. According to the MINHDU, the ceremony witnessed the signing “of an addendum to the partnership agreement governing the allocation of the site for the future African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE).”

The signing follows a framework agreement concluded on March 26, 2026, establishing the conditions for making the site available and preparing it for development. The latest agreement implements provisions contained in that framework and advances preparations for the project’s execution.

The future medical complex will be located near Yaounde-Nsimalen International Airport, a position expected to facilitate access for patients from Cameroon and neighboring countries while supporting the regional cooperation objectives attached to the project.

Officials presented the medical center as a tertiary-level healthcare infrastructure, which forms part of the government’s strategy to modernize basic infrastructure. Cameroon was selected to host the project because of its strategic location in Central Africa, its bilingual environment and its role as a regional hub.

Beyond healthcare delivery, the project carries economic implications linked to medical spending, employment and industrial activity. According to information presented during the signing ceremony, the facility’s technical platform is expected to reduce the need for medical evacuations abroad, a practice that currently generates significant healthcare expenditure for both the State and families.

The project is also expected to create demand across several sectors, including construction, medical equipment supply, logistics and pharmaceuticals. Authorities further indicated that the center will support skills development through medical training programs and clinical research activities.

Inspired by the African Medical Centre of Excellence in Abuja, Nigeria, the Yaounde facility is expected to specialize in areas such as oncology, cardiology, urology and orthopedics. Plans also include telemedicine services, advanced medical imaging and clinical research capabilities.

The project was included in the government’s budget orientations presented to the National Assembly on July 6, 2026, a move expected to support the fulfillment of Cameroon’s commitments, including the development of access roads currently under study.

Authorities have now called on Afreximbank and other financial partners to provide the remaining elements required to coordinate the contributions of the various stakeholders involved in the project. These include the Ministry of Public Health, MINSANTE, the Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority, CCAA, and the technical consultancy responsible for access infrastructure studies.

A memorandum of understanding defining the respective commitments of MINHDU and Afreximbank remains to be finalized. The document is expected to clarify the project’s technical and financial arrangements and pave the way for the next implementation phase, including the effective start of construction works.

Mercy Fosoh