The Austrian company VACE Systemtechnik GmbH has been awarded a contract worth 10 million euros, approximately 6.5 billion FCFA, for the construction, supply, and equipment of the future vocational training center in Ntui, located in the Mbam-et-Kim department, Centre region [cite: ]. The contract was signed on March 31, 2026, in Yaoundé, formalized by the Minister of Employment and Vocational Training, Mounouna Foutsou, and Johann Sesser, representative of the Austrian company [cite: ].
Financing for this large-scale project will be provided by a loan from Unicredit Bank Austria AG, guaranteed by Oesterreichische Kontrollbank (OeKB), spread over a period of 19 years [cite: ]. A presidential decree, signed by Paul Biya on May 4, 2026, authorizes the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Alamine Ousmane Mey, to contract this specific loan of 6.5 billion FCFA [cite: ].
The project's provisional schedule includes 24 months for the construction and equipment of the center, followed by six months of pedagogical support [cite: ]. The future institution aims to offer training focused on key sectors such as industry, digital technology, and agro-industry [cite: ].
The Cameroonian authorities are counting on this infrastructure to boost the supply of vocational training in the Mbam-et-Kim department, with the aim of improving the employability of young people [cite: ]. This project is part of a broader approach to modernizing training structures, led by the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training [cite: ].
This contract also marks a diversification of technical partners in the field of vocational training in Cameroon, where South Korean cooperation has long been predominant, particularly through the centers in Douala, Sangmélima, and Limbé [cite: ]. VACE Systemtechnik GmbH specializes in the construction and modernization of vocational training centers and universities worldwide. The company also offers export financing services. It has already carried out projects in China, Ghana, Indonesia and Vietnam.
The construction of this center in Ntui demonstrates the Cameroonian government's desire to strengthen vocational training and promote the integration of young people into the world of work. This project could stimulate local economic development by providing a skilled workforce to companies in key sectors.
By entrusting this project to VACE Systemtechnik GmbH, Cameroon is diversifying its partners and opening up to new expertise to modernize its vocational training system. VACE's expertise in building training centers internationally could bring significant added value to this project.
