Power Crisis Shuts Down New Cement Plant in Northern Cameroon, Puts 200 Jobs at Risk

A power crisis in northern Cameroon has forced the shutdown of Cimencam’s cement plant in Figuil, putting nearly 200 direct jobs at risk and raising fresh concerns about the region’s ability to support large industrial projects.

According to an assessment prepared by the Mayo-Louti prefecture and relayed by local communication services, the suspension of operations has already affected economic activity beyond the factory itself. Production at the Bidzar quarry, which supplies raw materials to the plant, has also stopped. Local authorities report early signs of pressure on the cement market, including tighter supply and refund requests from some customers. They have also warned that a prolonged shutdown could affect the plant’s ability to meet its banking obligations.

The Figuil facility, operated by Cimencam through Cimfig, a subsidiary of LafargeHolcim Maroc Afrique, has remained idle since the beginning of June.

In a letter sent to customers on June 2, the company’s sales and marketing department cited a “major energy crisis” that forced an unplanned temporary shutdown of all operations for an unspecified period. The suspension followed the temporary disconnection of the plant from the Northern Interconnected Grid.

According to information shared with customers, Cameroon’s electricity utility, Socadel, attributed the measure to the energy crisis currently affecting the country’s northern region.

Insufficient Power Capacity

The root of the problem is technical. According to local authorities in Mayo-Louti, plant management says the facility requires at least 5.5 megawatts of power to operate normally. Because of the current energy shortage, however, the company can rely only on backup generators with a combined capacity of 2.2 megawatts.

That capacity falls well below the plant’s operational needs. Socadel links the crisis to critically low water levels at the Lagdo Dam, the main source of electricity for the Northern Interconnected Grid. To preserve the stability of the network, the utility has temporarily cut power to several industrial customers, including the Cimencam facility in Figuil.

A Strategic Investment Faces Its First Major Test

The shutdown comes less than a year after the inauguration of the integrated clinker and cement production plant.

The facility was presented as a strategic investment for Cameroon’s northern region. It was expected to strengthen local cement supply, reduce reliance on imported clinker, and support infrastructure projects across the northern part of the country. The current situation underscores one of the main obstacles to industrial development in the region: the lack of a reliable electricity supply for large industrial consumers.

For Cimencam, the immediate challenge is clear. The company must protect jobs, fulfill customer orders, and avoid a prolonged disruption in local cement supply. For the government, the issue goes beyond a single factory. The situation raises a broader question about how to attract and secure industrial investment in northern Cameroon without guaranteed access to energy.

Ludovic Amara