en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Executive Board of the World Bank Group approved a $1.12 billion multi-phase program on June 12, 2026, to upgrade the Douala-Bangui Corridor. Stretching over 1,400 kilometers, this corridor is the economic lifeline of Cameroon and a critical artery for the Central African Republic, handling over 80% of its foreign trade. The first phase will invest $525 million, focusing on priority infrastructure rehabilitation, road safety improvements, and maintenance system reforms in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and the Economic Community of Central African States (CEMAC) region.
The Douala-Bangui Corridor, spanning Cameroon and the Central African Republic, is one of the most important trade routes in Central Africa. However, due to chronic lack of maintenance, the road surface is severely damaged, with transport costs reaching $270 per ton and travel times under normal conditions ranging from 9 to 12 days. There are 38 checkpoints within Cameroon alone, 17 of which involve informal fees. These obstacles severely constrain trade flows, drive up consumer goods prices, undermine food security, and deprive millions of people of economic opportunities.
Under the project plan, the first phase will allocate $407 million from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and $18 million from the International Development Association (IDA) to Cameroon, $90 million in IDA funds to the Central African Republic, and $10 million from the IDA GROW window to CEMAC. Investments will be used to rehabilitate priority road sections to climate-resilient standards, establish axle load control stations, build logistics hubs and feeder roads, strengthen value chains, and advance trade facilitation and institutional reforms. Subsequent phases will gradually scale up interventions based on the implementation results and lessons learned from the first phase.
Cheikh Kanté, World Bank Country Director for Central Africa, stated that the program follows a phased approach, combining infrastructure rehabilitation, logistics and policy reforms, with initiatives to unlock economic opportunities and attract private investment. According to World Bank estimates, the project is expected to create approximately 2,000 to 4,000 direct and indirect jobs over its lifecycle, while routine and periodic maintenance activities could sustain around 150 to 250 jobs annually.
The Douala-Bangui Corridor is the main route for 80% of Cameroon's freight transport. As part of the World Bank's broader vision to support regional integration in Central Africa, this project is expected to significantly enhance trade efficiency and economic growth potential for both Cameroon and the Central African Republic by reducing transport costs and improving market access.
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