Washington Puts a US$7 Billion Number on Cameroon
The first US-Cameroon economic dialogue produced a published inventory of American deal flow, and a commitment to meet again in the United States in 2027. The post Washington Puts a US$7 Billion Number on Cameroon appeared first on The Rio Times .
On 27 August 2026, the US-Cameroon Bilateral Economic and Commercial Dialogue took place in Yaoundé, marking the beginning of formal discussions between the two nations. Leading the US delegation was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sarah Troutman, while Cameroon was represented by Economy Minister Alamine Ousmane Mey. The dialogue aimed to identify investment opportunities worth nearly US$7 billion or about CFAF 4 trillion across various sectors such as energy, mining, transport, technology, forestry, and logistics.
The largest opportunity on the table is the Grand Eweng hydropower project on the Sanaga River, valued at approximately US$3 billion and developed by Hydromine, a New York company. The hydropower project is part of Cameroon's latest public-private partnership pipeline. Other notable opportunities include a US$2 billion airport project in Douala being pursued by A. Epstein and Sons International, and a US$230 million theatre halls project also led by the same firm.
In the realm of minerals, American firm Tronox and Australia’s Lion Rock are working on a rutile development valued at US$500 million, which is still in the exploration stage. Additionally, American Renaissance Minerals is in talks on a potential Nkamouna deposit for cobalt, nickel, and manganese, with an estimated starting value of US$85 million.
The meeting also touched on smaller items, such as a proposed US$75 million artificial-intelligence data centre in Douala, an US$83 million equipment transaction by Hoffman Equipment of New Jersey, and a logistics hub deal with FedEx at Douala International Airport. One of the few established partnerships is the decades-long relationship of Taylor Guitars sourcing ebony through its local partner Crelicam.
Cameroon's macroeconomic conditions were presented alongside the economic report, with an expected 2025 growth rate of 3.5% and an inflation rate of 3.4%. However, the country's goods trade deficit stood at CFAF 2.098 trillion, primarily due to lower exports of hydrocarbons. The bilateral investment dialogue aims to address these challenges and explore new avenues for investment and trade.
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