Yaoundé — May 30, 2026 — Cameroon’s new military footwear factory, the Central Master Shoemaker Workshop, has reached 60% completion, according to Defence Minister Joseph Beti Assomo during an inspection visit on May 28.
The facility, located at the Joint Services Technical Training Centre (CFTA) in Ekounou, Yaoundé, is designed to produce shoes, boots, and other footwear for the country’s defence and security forces. Built by Visa Longchamp SARL, the project covers approximately 4,850 square metres, including a production hall, showroom, offices, storage units, and maintenance areas.
Project manager Elie Martial Chokouaha confirmed that structural works are progressing steadily, with completion expected within five months. The factory will feature galvanised steel roofing, tiled administrative areas, and paved external spaces with drainage infrastructure.
Once operational, the workshop will serve as a central production hub, strengthening Cameroon’s military supply chains and supporting local industrial capabilities. It follows the commissioning of a military uniform production facility and forms part of a broader defence industrial programme that also includes plans for an ammunition factory and an armoured vehicle assembly unit.
Authorities say the initiative is aimed at enhancing logistical autonomy for national security operations while fostering local technical expertise and industrial growth.
