13 attractive investment opportunities in Cameroon... and the Egyptian company Elsewedy strengthens its presence

Written by Ziada Abdel Fattah:

The Cameroon market is described as a gateway Central AfricaThanks to the Republic’s diversified economy, its well-developed transport network compared to many neighboring countries, its population of over 28 million, and its access to regional trade markets through the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).

According to EverestUp, Cameroon has a diversified, market-driven economy that includes oil and gas, agriculture, timber, aluminum, mining, and a growing services sector. Oil remains the country's main export, representing about 40% of total exports, making it a key driver of economic activity. Urban centers such as Douala and Yaoundé are major commercial hubs, where trading, finance, and logistics companies operate.

3 factors that attract investment to Cameroon

The growing middle class, expanding infrastructure projects, and increasing demand for goods and services are factors that contribute to creating investment opportunities in Cameroon across multiple sectors.

Many international investors are increasingly interested in doing business in Cameroon due to several advantages, the most important of which is its strategic location in Central Africa. Cameroon is located at the crossroads of Central and West Africa, making it an important trading hub. The country also provides access to the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), a regional market of more than 50 million consumers. This strategic location enables companies operating in Cameroon to expand their operations to include neighboring countries.

The political stability also makes the Republic's investment environment attractive for long-term investment, compared to many countries in the region, and reduces the risks usually associated with emerging markets.

Import and export business, agriculture and agribusiness, mining and natural resources, tourism and hospitality, healthcare and pharmaceutical services, the fishing and seafood industry, the forestry and timber industry, renewable energy development, logistics and transportation, construction and development, e-commerce and online retail, financial technology and digital payments, and information and communication technology and digital services.

The import and export sector is one of the most active sectors in the Cameroonian market. The country imports many products to meet local demand, including fuel, consumer goods, food products, aluminum materials and cotton. This creates opportunities for companies operating in international trade and distribution.

At the same time, Cameroon exports valuable commodities such as cocoa, coffee, timber, crude oil and cotton. Cameroonian cocoa and coffee are highly regarded in international markets, making export projects a promising investment opportunity.

Strong presence of Egyptian companies in Cameroon

Among the most important major Egyptian companies in Cameroon is Arab Contractors, which is one of the oldest and most prominent Egyptian companies present there, and has a local branch called “Arab Contractors Cameroon”.

Arab Contractors undertakes massive infrastructure projects, such as the Mbalmayo-Sangmilima road project, which recently began using modern technologies, and carries out road, bridge and administrative building projects under direct commissions from the Cameroonian government.

Elsewedy Electric has strengthened its presence in Cameroon, where it is very active in the energy and electricity sector, and has built 3 power generation stations in the cities of Blofa, Palmayo and Bamenda.

These stations cost approximately $40 million and have a total capacity of 40 megawatts.

In addition, the list includes Al Najjar Wood Industries, which recently launched the first integrated factory for the manufacture of wood, veneer and doors in Cameroon. The project aims to exploit Cameroon’s wood wealth and export products to markets in Central and West Africa.

In the same context, Egypt is seeking to increase its presence in several areas in Cameroon, including, according to recent official moves, the pharmaceutical sector, as there are current consultations between the Egyptian Drug Authority and the Egyptian Embassy in Cameroon to promote joint investments and the export of Egyptian medicines.

In the mineral wealth sector, there is cooperation and research to transfer Egyptian expertise in the field of mining and mine exploitation. In the health sector, Egypt contributes through initiatives such as “100 Million Healthy Lives” in providing technical support and medical expertise to Cameroon.