The Ngaoundéré domestic timber market project, located in the Adamawa region, is nearing completion after more than a decade of anticipation. The Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) is working to revive this crucial project, valued at FCFA 4 billion. A MINFOF mission visited the Sélbé Darang site in the Ngaoundéré 2nd district on May 12 to assess the progress of the infrastructure, which spans 20 hectares.
Launched in 2012, the market has never become operational. In 2025, MINFOF secured FCFA 250 million to finance the first phase of the works, focusing on the development of one hectare. This phase includes the construction of four hangars, an administrative building, and a mosque, all of which are currently being completed. The delivery of this first phase is scheduled for June, subject to progress on the bridge and access road.
The Ngaoundéré domestic timber market is designed to structure the timber industry in northern Cameroon. It aims to better regulate the marketing of legal timber, improve the traceability of species, and strengthen the control of flows in the domestic market. This initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen Cameroon's forest policy, including a ban on exporting 91 timber species in log form, encouraging local processing.
The market's operationalization is expected to structure the domestic marketing chain and provide a more formal framework for industry players. Cameroon's forestry sector is dominated by timber companies, most of which export timber to Europe and Asia. In 2024, Cameroon was the 45th largest exporter of wood products worldwide, with exports totaling $601 million, mainly to China, Belgium, and Italy. The country is also a significant exporter of sawn wood.
After more than a decade of waiting, the challenge now is to turn this administrative and budgetary revival into an effective delivery, contributing to a better organization and formalization of the timber sector in Cameroon.
