This ceremony, chaired by the Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Fuh Calixtus, represents a major step forward in the strategy of industrialization and local transformation of the country's mineral resources. Also taking part in this ceremony were the Minister of Transport and local elite, Jean Ernest Ngalle Bibeye Masséna, the governor of the coastal region, Samuel Dieudonné Ivaha Diboua, the prefect of Sanaga-Maritime Cyril Yvan Abondo, the sub-prefect of Edéa 1er Dr Begouin Houmtchie Foreman and the local forces.
The inauguration of the Central Africa Cement SA cement plant is in line with Cameroon's vision of becoming an emerging country by 2035. The government has implemented ambitious industrial policies to achieve this goal, notably through the National Development Strategy (NDS 2030). This strategy aims to structurally transform the Cameroonian economy by promoting double-digit growth and developing local resources.
The Central Africa Cement SA cement plant is a flagship project that exemplifies this ambition. With an investment of 12 billion CFA francs and a production capacity of one million tonnes per year, this plant uses local resources such as limestone and pozzolan, while importing clinker. The cement produced will be destined for both the domestic and export markets.
This new cement plant will generate 121 direct jobs and several hundred indirect jobs, thus contributing to the revitalization of the local economy. It will also provide quality cement at affordable prices for the local market, while supporting the import-substitution policy and the development of local raw materials.
The inauguration of the Central Africa Cement SA cement plant strengthens Cameroon's position as a cement hub in Central Africa and contributes to infrastructure development. It is also part of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), aimed at improving Cameroon's competitiveness in the international market.
With this new cement plant, Cameroon takes another step towards its objective of industrial and economic emergence, thus consolidating its place among the leading nations in cement production in Central Africa.
