Opalm has initiated the construction of a palm oil production plant in Lengue, near Mbanga, in the Moungo department, Littoral region of Cameroon. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gabriel Mbairobe, laid the foundation stone for the plant on April 8, 2026 [cite: null]. The total investment for this industrial unit is estimated at FCFA 9 billion, with an annual production capacity of 25,000 tons [cite: null].
The Mayor of Mbanga, Henriette Endalé épse Edjake Mbonda, expressed her gratitude to Opalm for choosing Lengue, emphasizing that it is the first industrial enterprise to establish itself in the area [cite: null]. She also noted the importance of this investment for local economic development [cite: null].
Beyond its industrial impact, the project is expected to stimulate the palm oil sector in Moungo. According to company executives, the Lengue plant will create 340 jobs and ensure that palm oil producers in the region receive annual income of approximately FCFA 5 billion through the purchase of palm nuts [cite: null]. Patrice Yantho, coordinator of Opalm's investment program, specified these figures [cite: null].
The ceremony also marked the launch of the implementation of the specifications signed between the Cameroonian government and Opalm on December 22, 2025 [cite: null]. This document defines the actions to be taken jointly to improve the supervision of palm oil producers. According to sources close to the matter, these specifications will also be implemented in the Nyong-Ekellé department, another palm oil production area in the Centre region [cite: null]. Opalm also plans to launch the expansion of the Socapalm plant in Eseka, recently acquired, with an investment of approximately FCFA 8 billion to increase its capacity from 7,000 to 25,000 tons [cite: null].
Opalm's investment program, supported by the government, provides for the construction of five palm oil production plants in the country's main production basins over the next five years [cite: null]. With a total investment of approximately FCFA 45 billion, the company aims to increase local production by more than 100,000 tonnes, thereby reducing the current deficit and dependence on imports by approximately 50% [cite: null]. The Minister of Agriculture, Gabriel Mbairobe, stressed that these investments are part of the government's import-substitution policy, aimed at rebalancing the country's trade balance, which showed a deficit of FCFA 2,145.2 billion in 2025 [cite: null].
