Yves Roger Melingui has been appointed as the General Manager of the Kribi Port Industrial Zone (KPIZ), the project company responsible for the development and construction of the future integrated industrial zone of the Kribi Autonomous Port. The appointment took place during the general assembly and board meeting of KPIZ held on Thursday, February 26, 2026, in Yaoundé. Melingui is taking over at a crucial stage of the project, assuming leadership of one of Cameroon's most ambitious industrial undertakings.
Prior to this promotion, Yves Roger Melingui served as a technical advisor to the General Manager of the Kribi Autonomous Port, where he gained nearly ten years of experience. A specialist in Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and a financial analyst, he is a graduate of the Universities of Angers and EDHEC Business School, one of the top ten business schools in Europe. His technical expertise and in-depth knowledge of financial mechanisms are considered major assets for steering such a large-scale project.
The KPIZ project, estimated at 795 million euros (521.485 billion FCFA), covers an area of nearly 4,000 hectares. It is part of the national industrialization strategy, which aims to establish processing units at the Kribi deep-water port, Cameroon's main maritime gateway and that of landlocked Central African countries such as Chad, the Central African Republic, and northern Congo. The identified priority sectors are consistent with the National Development Strategy 2030 (SND30).
The project involves the private sector and the Kribi Autonomous Port. The main shareholders include Africa Global Logistics (AGL), Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP), and Belmont Investments. The first phase, estimated at 400 million euros, will be mainly financed by the African Development Bank, the European Union through its Global Gateway program, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Beyond its economic impact, this appointment also has a significant political dimension. It aligns with the President's desire to involve more young people in the management of public companies. As the son of former Minister of Budget, Roger Melingui, Yves Roger Melingui embodies this new generation of leaders called upon to carry out the country's major structuring projects. With this appointment, Cameroon aims to make Kribi a major industrial and logistics hub in Central Africa.
Launched on February 26, 2026, the Kribi Port Industrial Zone aims to transform the port into an industrial production hub, moving away from its purely logistical role. By 2040, the project is expected to generate between 5 and 8% of national GDP and create up to 150,000 direct and indirect jobs.
