The World Bank is planning to increase its investments in Cameroon, with a particular focus on the energy and youth employment sectors. This was highlighted during a meeting on March 11 in Yaounde between the Cameroonian Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute, and Cheick Kanté, the World Bank's Director of Operations for Cameroon.
The discussions centered on the progress of ongoing cooperation projects and ways to strengthen the partnership between Cameroon and the World Bank. Accelerating the implementation of existing projects and increasing investments in priority sectors were key topics of discussion.
The current partnership between Cameroon and the World Bank encompasses various areas such as digital transformation, urban development, education, decentralization, transport infrastructure, and energy. The Prime Minister reviewed the progress of these initiatives with Cheick Kanté.
A new program is under development to support the Cameroonian government's reform agenda through policy-based financing. Cheick Kanté emphasized the importance of the energy sector, where the World Bank is already involved through guarantees and direct financing, in collaboration with other international partners. Discussions also focused on intensifying investments and accelerating ongoing energy projects, as well as Cameroon's participation in the M300 energy compact, aimed at expanding access to electricity. The goal is to enable approximately 8 million additional Cameroonians to access electricity by 2030.
Youth employment and skills development were also addressed. The World Bank reaffirmed its support for programs aimed at improving training and employment opportunities for young people, emphasizing that job creation depends on economic transformation and the development of new skills.
Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute welcomed the cooperation with the World Bank and reaffirmed the government's commitment to maintaining this partnership. The World Bank’s active portfolio in Cameroon reached $4.5 billion in 2025, with nearly half allocated to energy and transport projects.
