Delays Mount on Cameroon-Gabon Border Road Despite State Funding

Cameroon’s Ministry of Public Works (Mintp) has expressed frustration over delays affecting the Olounou–Oveng–Gabon border road project, particularly the 70-kilometer section scheduled for paving.

According to the contracting authority, the Italian consortium SEAS/Cosedil, which is responsible for the project, is failing to maintain the expected pace despite financial resources already mobilized by the state.

On the ground, progress remains limited.

The service order authorizing the start of construction was issued in September 2024, but work only began a month later. More than a year and a half afterward, the project completion rate stands at just 9%, according to the ministry.

The Mintp says it has already made the required financing available.

According to the ministry, more than CFA12 billion has already been mobilized, notably for the advance payment, design studies, engineering work, and deployment of teams and technical equipment.

The administration nevertheless acknowledged that slightly more than CFA1.5 billion still remains to be disbursed out of the CFA3.3 billion expected by the contractor for outstanding payment balances.

Despite these financial commitments, the project remains behind schedule, the ministry said.

Authorities now expect delivery in December 2028, compared with the initial completion target of September 12, 2027.

Among the difficulties highlighted by the administration is the insufficient equipment currently deployed on-site.

The ministry stated that only a first batch of equipment — including three concrete mixer trucks and 18 transport trucks — has reached the construction site.

Additional equipment, including bulldozers, graders, excavators, loaders, and pickup vehicles, reportedly remains blocked at the port.

The contracting authority also believes the delays are worsening the project’s overall timetable and disrupting the planned disbursement schedule.

The ministry further pointed to execution delays despite the fact that all necessary administrative approvals and authorizations had reportedly already been obtained.

In response to the underperformance, Public Works Minister Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi has not ruled out formally notifying the contractor if the situation does not improve quickly.

The cost of developing the 70-kilometer road is estimated at CFA74 billion.

The project is financed at 95% by Deutsche Bank SpA Italy, while the Cameroonian state covers the remaining 5%, including the advance payment and various taxes and duties such as VAT, TSR, and customs charges.

Ludovic Amara