The collaboration between the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Cameroon continues to show a significant surge in approved funding volumes. However, this financial commitment has yet to translate into an equally robust utilization of resources. Since the implementation of the 2023-2028 Country Strategy Paper (CSP), the pan-African institution has greenlit eight new initiatives for Yaoundé, totaling 833.8 billion FCFA. This sum represents 67.9% of the initial indicative envelope, which was set at 1,227.5 billion FCFA for the period. These figures were made public by the Bank on July 17, 2026, following a joint review conducted three days prior in the Cameroonian capital.
A clear acceleration in commitments is evident. The AfDB’s total commitments to Cameroon reached 1,603.6 billion FCFA in 2026, a substantial increase from 1,226.2 billion FCFA at the CSP’s inception. This marks a progression of 377.4 billion FCFA, or nearly 31%. Concurrently, the nation’s annual access capacity to sovereign window resources has climbed by 57.1%, from 273.3 billion to 429.4 billion FCFA. These statistics underscore the multilateral lender’s renewed confidence in Cameroon’s financial standing.
Disbursement rate remains at 26%
Despite the growing pledges, converting these commitments into actual expenditures continues to be a challenge. The entire active portfolio, valued at 1,629.2 billion FCFA during the July 14, 2026, joint review, exhibits a cumulative disbursement rate of merely 26%. This ratio encompasses both operations initiated before the current CSP and those approved since 2023. It signifies a broader structural difficulty within the country to absorb available financing, rather than indicating that only 26% of the newly validated 833.8 billion FCFA has been mobilized.
The root causes identified during the review are persistent. Delays plague the signing and activation of financing agreements, the allocation of counterpart funds from the Public Treasury remains inadequate, and audit reports are often slow to reach the lender. These frictions impede every stage from project approval to effective execution, affecting the fulfillment of prerequisites, procurement processes, mobilization of contractors, and the release of funding tranches.
Transport and energy dominate funding priorities
A sectoral analysis of the portfolio confirms a strong emphasis on heavy infrastructure. The transport sector accounts for 53.83% of the mobilized resources, followed by energy, which captures 22.32%. Agriculture represents 10.8%, and the social sector 9.19%. When measured against the total value of the active portfolio, these proportions translate to approximately 877 billion FCFA for transport and 364 billion FCFA for energy. Together, these two segments monopolize more than three-quarters of the AfDB’s financial exposure in Cameroon.
The Ministry of Economy highlights several achievements stemming from this partnership, including the construction of over 570 kilometers of roads, the Nachtigal hydroelectric power station with its 420 MW installed capacity, and the distribution of more than 133,000 tons of fertilizers and improved seeds. Ongoing operations are projected to generate over 14,500 direct jobs, with a specific focus on opportunities for youth and women. These projections, however, remain contingent on the effective commencement of the projects.
Reduction in high-risk projects
A positive indicator suggests an encouraging shift. The proportion of projects flagged as
