Douala prepares to become the first Central African metropolis

Situated at the heart of the Gulf of Guinea, on the south-eastern shore of the Wouri estuary, Douala has built its economic development sheltered from the political tensions of the capital, Yaoundé, from which it is separated by almost 200 kilometres. The result: a metropolis of three million people - 20% of the country's population - backed by a major regional port. Douala contributes around 32% of GDP, with 12% of Cameroon's working population.

Economical engine

As the country's economic centre, Douala offers visitors contrasted appearanceThis is a city of great commercial activity, the nonchalance inherited from the colonial past and the extreme harshness of a city in a perpetual state of siege. On the one hand, the precarious shantytowns are home to refugees from the English-speaking areas of the country in the throes of a humanitarian crisis, and economic refugees on the other, in the districts of Bonanjo and Bonapriso, expatriates or wealthy representatives of the diaspora can be found in cafés and restaurants that have nothing to envy Western metropolises.

It is in this particular atmosphere that Douala is articulating its development. In addition to its port, at the heart of commercial and administrative life, this universe is concentrated in two modern districts Bonandjo and Akwa. To the east of the city, the Bassa industrial zone is home to food industries, notably breweries, and establishments specialising in construction materials, plastics, paper mills, spinning, footwear and cycle and car assembly. Bonabéri, on the right bank of the Wouri, is another notable industrial zone served by a secondary port.

For years, traffic between these areas and access to Douala remained difficult: in fact, two-thirds of the 6 million tonnes of goods passing through the port of Douala every year are transported by road. But with only 450 of the 1,800 kilometres paved, the city regularly recorded major traffic problemsThese problems are exacerbated by heavy goods vehicles crossing the city on their way to port facilities or industrial zones. This is why the city has been working in recent years to improve its urban network: improving National Road 3, the western access road to Douala, road development towards the agricultural production areas to the west and towards the eastern zone to link the port to the town centre, to a logistics zone and beyond to the external road network.

Regional platform

Because the real challenge in this race for road infrastructure is the regional port competition for Central African markets with no access to the sea. According to a local expert, "the principle of fluidity is the primary requirement for port cities. Even more so for Douala, which is aiming for rapid access to the corridor linking Chad and the Central African Republic".

In fact, Cameroon, which is in the process of completing the 196-kilometre motorway between Yaoundé and Douala, has just launched the construction of two other motorways to facilitate traffic between Douala and the other Cameroonian port city of Kribi, as well as to N'Djamena and Banguithe capitals of Chad and the Central African Republic respectively.

As a regional hub for maritime freight, Douala could also see itself as a financial capital: in September, it became the headquarters of the Central African Stock Exchange (BVMAC), created by the merger of the Douala and Libreville stock exchanges. The capitalisation of this market currently represents little more than 1% of Cameroon's GDP, a far cry from the performance of its competitors in the rest of the world. Lagos orAbidjan. But observers are optimistic: they note the presence of a regional network of more than 1,000 companies in Cameroon, Gabon and Congo alone.

As a whole, Cameroon's economy accounts for 40 % of the GDP of the CEMAC (Central African Economic and Monetary Community), making the country one of the world's leading economies. regional leader. But this outlook is currently overshadowed by the region's economic performance, with growth slowed by the Covid-19 crisis. For Cameroon alone, the IMF has revised its growth forecast from +3.8 % to -3.5 % in 2020, compared with an average of -3.2 % for sub-Saharan Africa. The budget deficit is expected to widen to 4.5 % of GDP, according to the Supplementary Budget Act.

Progress in the business environment has also been thwarted. While Cameroon was ranked 163rd in the World Bank's 2016 Doing Business ranking, it has slipped back to 163rd place. 166th place in 2019 and fell one place further in 2020. Cross-border trade, paying taxes, transferring property, obtaining planning permission, accessing electricity and registering property are still perceived as problematic.

A more affluent population in search of consumption

Against this backdrop, the new mayor of Douala, Roger Mbassa Ndine, is, according to local analysts, well aware of what is at stake and is determined to improving the business climate in his town. Faced with the deterioration of several arteries and the anarchy of town planning standards, the mayor is considering the creation of a delegated authority for major works.

Climate change has highlighted the need to regulate uncontrolled building Clogged pipes have led to serious flooding this year, and the mayor of the city estimates that over 200 kilometres of sewage pipes need to be installed.

Faced with this need for massive investment in basic infrastructure, Douala, encouraged by the emergence of a more affluent population, nonetheless continues to dream of prosperity and consumerism. The end of the year will see the final touches to the Douala Grand Mall and Business Parkthe largest shopping centre in this part of Africa. It comprises 18,000 square metres of retail and leisure space, including several restaurants, a five-screen cinema, a supermarket and a shopping mall, as well as a playground. Carrefour has just opened its third supermarket in Douala.

Before the outbreak of the health crisis, Air France flights disembarked several times a week with a steady stream of business travellers used to working between Cameroon and Europe. In addition to small businesses, there was constant trade in hydrocarbons, agricultural products (cocoa, coffee, cotton, palm oil, etc.) and timber. All of which put a strain on the hotel industry. At the end of the summer, the Cameroonian government approved 19 hotel construction projects which will add hundreds of rooms to the current offer. Douala will host six of these investments. Among them, the American group Marriott International has just announced the start of construction at the end of the year of a five-star establishment with 280 rooms and a 1,000-seat conference hall. Douala has great ambitions for the post-Covid era.