The World Bank Group has approved a $1.12 billion program to modernize the Douala-Bangui economic corridor, one of Central Africa’s most important trade routes. The corridor links Cameroon’s Port of Douala with Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, and plays a critical role in regional trade and market access.
The program was announced on June 12 and will be implemented in multiple phases. It is expected to support infrastructure upgrades, improve road safety, strengthen maintenance systems and generate between 2,000 and 4,000 direct and indirect jobs over its lifetime.
The first phase of the program is valued at $525 million. It will focus on rehabilitating priority road infrastructure, improving road maintenance and supporting reforms in Cameroon, the Central African Republic and the wider CEMAC region.
Cameroon will receive the largest share of the initial financing, with $407 million from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and $18 million from the International Development Association. This brings total first-phase funding for Cameroon to $425 million.
The Central African Republic will receive $90 million from the International Development Association, while CEMAC will receive $10 million through the IDA’s GROW facility. These investments will support climate-resilient road rehabilitation, axle-load control stations, logistics hubs, feeder roads, value chains, trade facilitation and institutional reforms.
The Douala-Bangui corridor stretches more than 1,400 kilometers and is especially important for the Central African Republic, a landlocked country that depends on the route for more than 80 percent of its external trade. The corridor serves as CAR’s main gateway to international markets.
Despite its importance, the corridor faces high transport costs, long transit times and numerous administrative barriers. Transport costs can reach $270 per ton, while normal transit times often range from nine to twelve days.
The World Bank identified 38 checkpoints along the corridor in Cameroon alone, including 17 where informal payments are reportedly common. These delays and extra costs weaken supply chains, raise consumer prices and make trade more difficult, especially for food products.
For Cameroon, the project supports its ambition to strengthen its position as a regional logistics hub. The country aims to build on the role of the ports of Douala and Kribi, as well as transit services, trucking operations and cross-border trade.
The World Bank said the program is not only about road rehabilitation. It is also intended to advance regional integration within CEMAC by addressing long-standing barriers to movement, trade and logistics along the corridor.
The success of the program will depend on more than infrastructure investment. Authorities will need to reduce checkpoints, curb informal payments, enforce axle-load rules and ensure regular maintenance of rehabilitated roads.
Road maintenance remains a key challenge for long-term impact. The World Bank estimates that routine and periodic maintenance activities could support an additional 150 to 250 jobs each year.
Overall, the $1.12 billion World Bank program represents a major investment in Central Africa’s trade infrastructure and regional connectivity. By improving road quality, lowering transport costs, reducing bottlenecks and supporting maintenance reforms, the project aims to improve market access, strengthen supply chains and promote inclusive growth along one of the region’s most vital trade routes.
