Cameroon Records 18.7% Disbursement Rate Across World Bank-Funded Projects

Cameroon’s portfolio of World Bank-financed projects posted a combined disbursement rate of 18.7% as of June 30, 2026, highlighting the slow pace at which committed financing is being released despite record levels of funding for the country.

According to World Bank data reviewed by Business in Cameroon, the country’s 21 active projects recorded an overall disbursement rate of 18.7% at the end of June. National projects posted a rate of 20.3%, while regional projects stood at 17.2%. Those figures remain modest given the scale of the World Bank’s financial commitments to Cameroon.

Only five projects exceed the 50% mark

Only five projects—all national—had disbursed more than half of their committed financing. These include PROLAC, which reached a 100% disbursement rate, PULCCA at 99%, PDST at 70%, PAREC at 66%, and PRRTERS at 55%. PROLAC and PULCCA are nearing completion, which largely explains their nearly full disbursement.

Most projects remain below halfway

Several projects posted disbursement rates between 20% and 50%. PFSAIE reached 49%, while PERACE and PIRECT each stood at 41%. PADESCE recorded 30%, followed by Viva Logone at 28%. PATNUC, Viva Bénoué, and PACRI each posted 22%, while the Energy PFORR project reached 21%.

Regional projects trail the portfolio

Most of the lowest disbursement rates were recorded by regional projects. Impact PFORR stood at 18%, PROLOG at 17%, HISWACA at 11%, and the Sustainable Cities and Land Management Project (PVGFD) at 8%.

The weakest performers were SEWASH at 1%, PCDN at 0.8%, and the Douala Urban Mobility Project (PMUD) at just 0.3%, despite receiving more than CFA261 billion in World Bank financing.

A combination of timing and implementation challenges

The differences partly reflect project implementation schedules, as not all initiatives began at the same time. While projects such as PROLAC and PULCCA are approaching completion, others, including SEWASH and PMUD, are still in their early stages.

For several ongoing projects, however, low disbursement rates also point to persistent implementation bottlenecks. These include administrative delays, lengthy procurement procedures, the time required for financing agreements to become effective, resettlement plans, land acquisition constraints, and the management capacity of project implementation units.

Such obstacles slow the release of committed financing and delay the delivery of projects on the ground. In some cases, these shortcomings may lead the World Bank, in agreement with the Cameroonian government, to restructure projects, reallocate part of the financing, or redirect funds toward initiatives considered more implementation-ready.

A CFA2.7 trillion portfolio

The low disbursement rate comes despite record World Bank commitments to Cameroon. Since April 2023, the institution has increased its commitments to the country by $826 million, or about CFA475 billion, bringing its total portfolio to $4.5 billion, equivalent to nearly CFA2.7 trillion. The 21% increase over two years was announced during the joint project review held in April 2025.

The energy and transport sectors alone account for half of the portfolio, representing $2.3 billion, or about CFA1.38 trillion. That underscores the strategic importance of World Bank financing for infrastructure development, economic competitiveness, and the delivery of essential public services.

The overall disbursement rate of 18.7% therefore reflects less a shortage of financing than the slow pace at which committed funds are being released to projects. For Cameroon, the priority is now to accelerate project implementation, remove administrative and technical bottlenecks, and strengthen the country’s capacity to absorb external financing at a time when public investment needs remain particularly high.

Ludovic Amara