The Société immobilière du Cameroun (SIC) is raising concerns about potential delays in the 10,000 housing unit construction project, which is being carried out by the Italian company Pizzaroti at the Ekoko II and Nkolmeyos sites in the Centre region. A progress report dated February 21, 2026, and consulted by Investir au Cameroun, reveals that accumulated delays could lead to a 24-month postponement of the delivery date, particularly for the Nkolmeyos industrial base, which is considered essential to the project's progress.
Three years after work began, the Nkolmeyos industrial base has an advancement rate of only 25.3%. This figure is alarming, as it is more than 60 points behind the projected schedule (85.97% to date). The SIC emphasizes that this gap represents a major risk to the overall completion of the project and that discussions are underway regarding a 24-month extension for this site. The Nkolmeyos industrial base is considered the backbone of the Pizzaroti project, as it is expected to produce prefabricated concrete elements for the construction of at least 1,000 housing units per year. Its operating life, estimated at between 40 and 50 years, is seen as a strategic lever to accelerate the large-scale construction of social housing in Cameroon, beyond the current project.
At the same time, the construction of the first 1,224 housing units on the Ekoko II site is not progressing as quickly as planned. After three years of work, the project's progress on this site is only 46.8%. The SIC warns of a vulnerable phase between November 2025 and April 2026, due to simultaneous interventions on 13 buildings, and asks the company to propose an appropriate mobilization plan. In addition, the construction of the access road to the site is virtually at a standstill, with only 1% completed. The SIC insists that this road is an essential element for the finalization of the VRD (roads and utilities) and that its delay could lead to blockages and cascading delays.
Financially, the total cost of the project has been revised upwards, from FCFA 96.7 billion to FCFA 97.9 billion, an increase of FCFA 1.2 billion. The SIC explains that this adjustment is due to a quantity adjustment exercise based on updated execution studies and technical findings on the ground. As of February 21, 2026, just over FCFA 53 billion had already been paid to the company, representing a credit utilization rate of 54.79%. However, only 29.18% of the services actually performed have been paid for, according to the SIC. This discrepancy is explained by the completion of studies for the 10,000 housing units, the payment of supplies, management, overheads and contractual advances.
As a reminder, the Pizzaroti project is based on two loan agreements totaling FCFA 115 billion, signed in 2017 between the State of Cameroon and the Italian bank Intesa San Paolo. Phase I involves the construction of 1,224 housing units in Ekoko II and an industrial base in Nkolmeyos, while Phase II involves 9,000 housing units in Zouatoupsi and Nkolntsam. The delivery of the entire project, initially scheduled for 2026, is therefore expected to be postponed due to accumulated delays. This project is presented as an accelerator of the supply of social housing in Cameroon, where the deficit is estimated at 2 million units.
