At close of evaluation meeting: Works minister reveals 71% of national roads in good condition.

He was speaking at a press briefing which came at the close three-day evaluation meeting of over 100 road projects in the country.

The minister’s presentation focused on the state of the national road network with particular emphasis on Government's efforts to improve user mobility.

Speaking at the gathering attended by government officials and newsmen, Minister Nganou Djoumessi disclosed that motorways in the country are in good condition.

He noted that 71.3% of national roads were in good or average condition, with 80% of the paved section in good condition, while 45.1% of regional roads are also in satisfactory condition.

The minister said communal roads, which make up the densest network, have 24.2% of their length in good or average condition. 

“These figures reflect the Government's constant progress and sustained efforts to maintain and modernise road infrastructure,” the minister told journalists at the presser attended by the Secretary General at the Ministry of Communication, Felix Zogo.

The minister continued that between 2020 and 2024, 1,958.94 km of new roads were built, including the asphalting of the Sangmelima-Ouesso between Cameroon and Congo, Olama-Bingambo, Grand Zambi-Kribi, Batchenga-Ntui, Ntui-Yoko, Yoko-Lena, Lena-Tibati-Ngatt, Maroua-Bogo, Bertoua-Akokan, Akokan-Batouri, Mbama-Messamena axes, among others. 

Minister Nganou Djoumessi said at the same time, 1,036.43 km of roads were rehabilitated or rebuilt, with the completion of projects such as the Yaoundé-Bafoussam-Babadjou and Maroua-Mora sections. 

As for engineering structures, he said 4,302.42 linear metres have been built or rebuilt.

He said as December 31, 2024, Cameroon's road network had a total length of 121,873 km, compared with 55,000 km in the 1980s, an increase of 121% in relative terms. 

“This network is made up of 109 km of motorways, 9,387 km of national roads (including 5,945 km asphalted), 13,842 km of regional roads (including 1,722 km asphalted) and 98,535 km of communal roads (including 2,800 km asphalted),” he disclosed.

The works boss also pointed out that raising the level of service of the road network requires substantial and ongoing financial investment. 

With this in mind, he said the State has undertaken several structural reforms, including the law of 27 April 2022 on the protection of road assets and the reorganisation of the second-generation Road Fund, designed to better channel and secure resources for road maintenance and rehabilitation.

Despite the constraints caused by bad weather, he noted that the incivility of some road users, the structural weaknesses of local public works companies and security tensions in some regions, the government has continued its efforts with determination.

He told the press conference that the recent delivery of several strategic routes including the Yaoundé-Obala-Batchenga-Nanga Eboko-Mbet, Sangmelima-Djoum-Mintom-Mbalam-Frontière Congo, Batchenga-Ntui-Yoko-Lena-Tibati, Olama-Bingambo, Grand Zambi-Kribi among others and the construction of emblematic structures such as the bridge over the Bongor river (620 ml) or the Cross River bridge (408 ml), are concrete proof of government’s efforts.

He said in addition to the completed projects, 141 projects are currently under way, covering almost 7,600 km of roads and more than 4,200 m of engineering structures, with delivery scheduled for 2027.

At the same time, he said 132 new projects representing more than 2,370 km of roads and 3,065 m of engineering structures will start in 2025.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3558 of Monday September 08, 2025