CAMTEL, SOCADEL partner to mutualise networks, infrastructures.

The agreement was signed by SOCADEL General Manager, Oumarou Hamandjoda and CAMTEL General Manager, Judith Yah Sunday epse Achidi.

According to officials, the MoU articulates the will of the two companies to examine the prospect of sharing their respective infrastructure in order to maximise their current investments, control deployment costs and enhance, in the long run, the services delivered to users.

The MoU, it was disclosed creates a framework for cooperation to conduct technical, legal and economic studies to lay the groundwork for a framework agreement. 

“This agreement will spell out the scope, terms and conditions for implementing the proposed infrastructure pooling,” said a joint statement.

CAMTEL said the institution plans to leverage its national optical fibre backbone, its national and international connectivity capabilities, as well as its expertise in deployment and operation of telecommunications networks. 

For its part, SOCADEL said it plans to use its network of electrical infrastructure, its poles and rights-of-way, as well as the opportunities offered by its future optical fibre -inclusive deployments.

For CAMTEL, the cooperation could facilitate extension of the optical-fibre network and diversify transmission routes in order to enhance the continuity of connections. 

For SOCADEL, the deal could further interconnect its agencies, operations centres and other strategic sites, as well as support the modernisation of its operations.

According to the General Manager of SOCADEL, Oumarou Hamandjoda, “SOCADEL and CAMTEL are both State-owned companies. They are saying that they can work together to develop national infrastructure in a coordinated and coherent manner, as envisioned by the Head of State, His Excellency Paul Biya. Signing this Memorandum of Understanding confirms our intentions and compels our experts to speedily fine-tune this infrastructure-pooling initiative. We hope to move very quickly from the intention to the framework agreement, and from there to an initial phase of implementation in pilot sites”.

According to the General Manager of CAMTEL, Judith Yah Sunday épouse Achidi, “This initiative aligns with a tangible goal: making better use of available infrastructure to extend connectivity and improve the quality of services. The complementary nature of our respective networks can enable us curb deployment costs and open up new possibilities for service delivery. The studies that we will carry out will clearly spell out the technical and economic conditions to govern this infrastructure pooling”.

Officials say a joint deployment plan could also limit infrastructure duplication and reduce right-of-way clutter, notably in urban areas.

Joint studies, they say, are expected to ascertain the feasibility of these possibilities, with special attention paid to the safety of people and installations; to respect for applicable regulations and safeguard of each company’s rights. For the officials, the signing of the memorandum is a maiden step. 

“It conveys a shared desire to cooperate, subject to operational conditions that will be spelt out in the future framework agreement,” a joint statement said.

Through the initiative, SOCADEL and CAMTEL would leverage the complementarity of their respective networks to modernise national infrastructure and enhance power supply and telecommunications services.

Cameroon Telecommunications, CAMTEL, it should be said, has a footprint in the fixed phone, mobile telecoms and data transfer markets.

The state-owned company provides services to individuals, companies, administrations and operators. CAMTEL builds around a national optical fibre backbone and international sub-marine cable connections to support connectivity expansion. 

Through its infrastructure and service, CAMTEL contributes to Cameroon's digital transformation and increases access to telecommunications.

For its part, the Cameroon Electricity Corporation, SOCADEL, is a state-owned company and a key player in Cameroon’s electricity sector. It operates across power generation, distribution and commercialisation. 

Created on May 4, 2026 through a presidential decree, SOCADEL, together with other actors in the electricity system, works to help implement the sector’s recovery plan and enhance power supply.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3944 of Monday October 19, 2026