National Assembly: PM presents ambitious 2026 roadmap to transform Cameroon.

The session was chaired by the House Speaker, the Rt Hon Cavaye Yeguie Djibril.

The Head of Government detailed the State budget, balanced in income and expenditure at FCFA 8,816.4 billion. 

He said the programme is framed around ongoing efforts to reinforce national stability, expand public services and improve State performance. 

Dion Ngute said government plans a series of commitments, including the reopening of PhD training, the relaunch of Teachers Training College entrance examinations, and measures under the Special Youth Employment Plan.  

He reiterated that women and young people remain central to government’s plans as outlined by the Head of State, Paul Biya.

The Prime Minister noted that diplomacy will focus on strengthening Cameroon’s presence on the global stage, widening partnerships and preparing for major international events such as the 14th World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference, scheduled in Yaounde from March 26 to 29, 2026. 

Government, he told MPs, also plans further reforms in decentralisation, including finalising the equalisation system, accelerating the transfer of powers, promoting local competitiveness and digitalising civil status services. 

Judicial plans, he explained, cover infrastructure expansion, prison improvement, legislative harmonisation and human rights actions.

Public contracts management, he stated, will centre on digital integration, inclusion of vulnerable groups in tenders and greener procurement tools.

Energy, infrastructure

Public works, the PM went on, form a major pillar of the programme, with government targeting the asphalting of 648 kilometres of roads, construction of 1,304 linear metres of engineering structures, and rehabilitation of 335 kilometres of asphalt roads.

Large-scale projects, he noted, include Phase II of the Yaounde-Douala Motorway and works on the Ebolowa-Akom II-Kribi, Edea-Kribi, Ngaoundere-Garoua and other strategic corridors, along with major bridges such as the Benoue and Ntem crossings.

Housing and urban development actions, the PM noted, will focus on expanding social housing in Bamenda, Buea and Douala, improving drainage and waste management in Yaounde and Douala, and rehabilitating urban roads. 

Key works, he added, will also advance under the Douala Urban Mobility Project, PMUD.

Energy sector priorities…

In the energy sector, government, he said, places priority on major transmission upgrades, including continued construction of the 225-kV interconnection between the South and North grids and the Chad-Cameroon line, alongside completion of Phase 1 works on the 225-kV Ebolowa-Kribi and 90-kV Mbalmayo-Mekin lines. 

High-voltage networks, he further reiterated, will be reinforced through rehabilitation works and the replacement of 11,600 wooden poles with concrete poles nationwide.

The government, he also stated, will also launch construction of the Limbe gas-fired power station, while accelerating electrification programmes supported by development partners, notably the AfDB-funded PARSEC and the World Bank’s “Mission 300”. 

These, he said, are aimed at expanding household access to electricity.

Renewable energy development, he detailed, will advance through the completion of the solar project covering 200 localities across all 10 Regions, the final selection of developers for small hydropower stations in Bafang and Manjo, and progress on the construction of grid-connected solar plants in the Greater North, particularly in Ngaoundere and Garoua airport.

In parallel, the water and sanitation sector, the PM affirmed, will move forward with the launch of the Douala Mega Project to supply drinking water from the Wouri River and the reconfiguration of Yaounde’s supply network. 

Work in the petroleum sector, he said, will focus on restructuring and rehabilitating facilities to enable medium-term resumption of refining at SONARA.

Transport priorities include nationwide expansion of the centralised passenger transport monitoring system, airport refurbishments in Bertoua, Kribi and Tiko, renovation of Douala International Airport’s terminal and progress on rail projects through PPPs, including over 500 kilometres of railway linked to the Kribi deep-sea port.

Industry, agriculture, trade & environment

Import-substitution, measures, he also said, remain central, driven by the Integrated Agropastoral and Fisheries Plan, PIISAH. Key targets, he went on, include; additional production of 66,000 tonnes of rice, 20,500 tonnes of crude palm oil, 10,000 tonnes of maize seed, 331,000 tonnes of maize and 400,000 tonnes of cassava. 

Government, according to the PM, also plans to invest FCFA 3.502 billion in opening production areas, develop 1,000 hectares of maize plots and construct rural infrastructure worth FCFA 4.998 billion.

For livestock priorities, he cited a general census, support for producers, development of 15,280 hectares of agropastoral land in Adamawa and the construction of industrial slaughterhouses in Bamenda, as well as advance projects for similar facilities in Douala and Yaounde. 

In the foresty sector, he said actions will centre on expanding the Integrated Forest Information Management System, SIGIF II, securing protected forest areas, developing plantations and promoting non-timber products such as bamboo.

In the environmental sector, efforts, the PM insisted, will target restoring degraded land under Operation Green Sahel, advancing climate commitments through the Paris Agreement “Adaptation” project, developing REDD+ tools for Cameroon’s carbon market, implementing the national greenhouse gas inventory system, and supporting regional and local authorities in preparing waste management plans.

Industry and mining plans, he disclosed, include completing work at the Kribi-Lobé iron mine and mineral terminal. 

He added to this, efforts to also promote high-quality origin-linked products like Penja pepper and Oku white honey, develop 170 national standards under PIISAH, and equip LANAVET with a production unit capable of producing 4,200 tonnes of biofertilisers, bioherbicides and biopesticides.

In trade, he stated government plans to support businesses entering export markets, expand AfCFTA awareness programmes, curb fraud and artificial scarcity, construct 20 new market facilities, strengthen promotion of “Made in Cameroon” products, link local flour producers with users, enhance price control activities, and finalise bills on competition and e-commerce.

For Small and Medium Sized Enterprises, SMEs, the focus, the Star Building occupant noted, will be on finalising instruments for the July 2025 subcontracting law, operationalising the General Register of Social Economy Units, and establishing 360 collective production units, while structuring crafts under a unified Chamber covering over 10 sectors and 300 professions.

In the tourism and leisure, Dion Ngute declared that priorities include; stricter inspections, public awareness on tourism culture, mobilisation of financing for leisure infrastructure. 

He mentioned the Yaounde Amusement Park, Kribi Thalassotherapy Centre and Buea Holiday Complex and support to more than 30 councils through FCFA 1.2 billion allocated for promoting tourist sites in 2026.

Social Sectors

Basic education priorities, going by the PM, will include classrooms construction, latrines, support to private schools and promotion of inclusive and literacy programmes. 

In the Secondary and Higher Education sectors, he said government plans to involve expanding infrastructure, modernising technical training, developing enterprise incubators, empowering universities and setting up a National Research and Innovation System.

Health priorities, Dion Ngute noted, see the continued rollout of Universal Health Coverage for pregnant women and children under five, strengthening audits, upgrading hospital structures, promoting mental health and expanding pharmaceutical capacity.

Youth programmes aim to reach three million people with civic education, support thousands of youth projects through various schemes, and expand participation in community missions and diaspora partnerships, he said, are also in the plan.

Social affairs action, the PM’s presentation shows, include strengthening protection for vulnerable children, operationalising the Maroua disability centre and improving systems for elderly care and disability identification. 

Women’s empowerment plans, he told MPs, will cover entrepreneurship support, land access, political participation and the finalisation of laws on violence and gender representation. 

The 2026 State budget, he underscored, represents a 14% rise from 2025, with projections based on 4.3% Gross Domestic Product, GDP growth and 3% inflation.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3639 of Friday November 28, 2025