The Kadji Group, a major player in the Cameroonian brewing industry, is intensifying its expansion in West Africa with the commissioning of two new plants representing a total investment of 120 billion FCFA. This ambitious strategy aims to strengthen its regional presence and conquer new markets.
In April 2026, the Union Camerounaise de Brasseries (UCB), a subsidiary of the Kadji Group, plans to launch its first canned beers and beverages produced in its new Douala plant, called the "Moungo plant". This 100 billion FCFA investment will double UCB's production capacity in Cameroon, reaching 2 million hectoliters per year.
In parallel, on March 25, 2026, the Kadji Group inaugurated its first beverage plant outside Cameroon in Aba, Nigeria, through its subsidiary Ultimum Limited. This 20 billion FCFA investment marks an important step in the group's expansion strategy, allowing it to establish itself in the Nigerian market, the largest in West Africa with more than 220 million inhabitants. Ultimum Limited produces Razzl brand soft drinks, available in four flavors.
These two new plants are part of a broader strategy for the Kadji Group's development in West Africa. The group also plans to open a distribution center in Côte d'Ivoire, which will serve as a regional logistics hub. This center will be supplied from both Nigeria and Cameroon, allowing for efficient distribution of products throughout the region.
This regional expansion comes in a context of strong competition in the Cameroonian market, where Société Anonyme des Boissons du Cameroun (SABC), a subsidiary of the French group Castel, holds a dominant position. Castel's acquisition of Guinness Cameroon in 2023 has strengthened this position, despite protests from the Kadji Group. Faced with this competitive pressure, expansion into West Africa represents a strategic opportunity for the Kadji Group to diversify its markets and stimulate its growth.
Beyond local challenges, this strategy is in line with the prospect of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which offers African companies access to a market of more than 1.3 billion consumers. The Kadji Group intends to seize this opportunity by relying on its new production capacities in Cameroon and Nigeria, as well as its future logistics platform in Côte d'Ivoire.
The Kadji Group's expansion demonstrates the ambition of African companies to play a major role in the continent's economic development. By investing in new plants and expanding their regional presence, these companies are contributing to job creation, economic growth and regional integration.
The West African alcoholic beverage market is expected to reach US$23 billion by 2034, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate of 4.99% between 2026 and 2034.
