Chinese-financed infrastructure has reshaped parts of Cameroon’s economy over the past decade, from port expansion at Kribi to hydropower dams and telecommunications backbones. As several of the earliest loan agreements approach maturity, officials and economists are taking stock of what the relationship has delivered and where it is heading.
Supporters point to concrete assets: a deep-water port, added generation capacity, and roads that would otherwise have waited far longer for funding. Critics counter that debt service on non-concessional loans has grown into a meaningful share of the national budget, and that some contracts favored Chinese contractors and equipment over local firms.
Looking ahead, both governments have signaled interest in shifting the relationship toward manufacturing and processing investment, rather than financing large one-off construction projects, which would tie the partnership more directly to job creation inside Cameroon.