Overview

The supply of oil in Cameroon was organized between SONARA, SCDP, CSPH and Petroleum Marketers, though it has changed in recent years with the implementation of foreign companies. Cameroon is a modest oil producer and its production has been decreasing over the past years - it is now at around 80,000/85,000 barrels daily.

The National Petroleum Depots Company (Société Camerounaise des Dépôts Pétroliers) was created on 1 July 1976. Its mission is to ensure an adequate supply of petroleum products in all parts of the national territory. 6 main petroleum storage facilities are functioning around the country. Limbe depot contains fuel 3500 designated only for factories and centrals. The company is also in charge of maintaining the strategic oil storage for the country (security stocks).

The National Refinery Company (Société Nationale de Raffinage – SONARA) is a countrywide entity that was established in 1977. Its mission is to satisfy the domestic demand of all types of combustibles. It owns the only refinery currently operating in the country, located in the area of Limbe, which was inaugurated on 16 May 1981.

SONARA’s total refinery produce in 2018 was 221,286 m³. Production stopped in April 2018, to upgrade the installation in order to reach a capacity of 2,100,000 m³ per year. SONARA imported 963,559 m³ to cover needs for 2018.

It should be mentioned that the distribution of petroleum products in Cameroon is totally liberalized, though the price of diesel oil and petrol is fixed by the government.

The country is obliged to import a less heavy crude oil from Nigeria and neighbouring countries in order to supply its refinery in Limbe, south-west region for the national market needs.

The cost at the filling stations of petroleum products in Cameroon is relatively complex and depends on the international market price. Currently the established cost is the same to all locations where SCDP has depots such as Douala, Yaoundé, Bélabo, Ngaoundéré, Garoua and Bafoussam. The cost of petroleum products (Fuel, diesel oil, kerosene, etc.) in Cameroon is calculated by a state entity, named the Hydrocarbons Prices Stabilization Fund (Caisse de Stabilisation des Prix des Hydrocarbures) (CSPH). The fuel price is fluctuating from place to place depending on the distance between the local main fuel depots and the retailing pump stations. The fixed price is maintained in the same level in all locations where SCDP has depots since September 2008 such as: Douala, Yaoundé, Bélabo, Ngaoundéré, Garoua and Bafoussam.

In Cameroon the sector of petroleum products distribution is dominated by international companies, namely TOTAL, MRS Corlay (former TEXACO Cameroon) and OLA Energy (former Oil Libya). They are owners of the filling stations, although the commercial management is conducted by private individuals or retailers. Therefore, the negotiations in view of securing the supply is directly under the responsibility of the company themselves.

There were a total of 814 petrol stations in Cameroon as of September 2018 for a consumption of 1,900,000 m³ the same year.

Sources:    

https://energies-media.com

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living

Cost at pump/filling stations 

The following attachments show the cost of fuel at filling stations from January 2018.

Cameroon - Fuel cost at pump (January 2018) - 1

Cameroon - Fuel cost at pump (January 2018) - 2

Cameroon - Fuel cost at pump (January 2018) - 3

Cameroon - Fuel cost at pump (January 2018) - 4

Cameroon - Fuel cost at pump (January 2018) - 5

Cameroon - Fuel cost at pump (January 2018) - 6

Source: CSPH

Seasonal Variations 

Currently fuel supply in Cameroon is constant. There are no seasonal variations. The market is correctly supplied.

Fuel Transportation

Over of 80% of fuel and petroleum products consumed in Cameroon is refined by SONARA in the town of Limbe, in the South West Region. The refined fuel is transported by trucks tanks from the refinery to the main depot of Bessengué or Mboppi, both in Douala.

As for the other 20% of the country's oil needs which is imported through the main port of Douala, the fuel is pumped out from the vessels and transported by a pipeline up to the main depot in Bessengué/Douala.

From the main depots in Douala, the fuel is transported by train and trucks tanks to the other depots in the country especially to Yaoundé, Bélabo and Ngaoundéré. The transportation and storage of fuel and petroleum products is the responsibility of SCDP. The Para nationwide company owns a fleet of trucks and sometimes sub-contracts transport with private companies.

Standards, Quality and Testing

The aviation fuel (Jet A1) have depots established only in the three main International Airports of Douala, Yaoundé and Garoua. These depots are managed by international companies TOTAL and MRS Corlay which take care of the quality control. Strict measures and procedures are established to ensure the quality of the aviation fuel. The testing is performed by SONARA at the main SCDP depot in Douala and Yaoundé, where laboratory/testing facilities exist.

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.

Trucking capacity in Cameroon, estimated to be more than 35,000 units, exceeds the normal domestic transport demand, though the majority of trucks are old (more than 30 years of age). During cotton or fertilizers campaigns when the demand is very high, it remains possible to find trucks for any given transport. Isolated areas might be an exception during the wet season. The transporters might refuse to go to these areas, and prices could be notably increased. 

Transit cargo from Cameroon to neighbouring countries, such as Chad and CAR, is regulated by conventions implementing a regime of quotas respectively applied and managed by officially recognized structures in each country, such as:

• Cameroon: Bureau de Gestion de Fret Terrestre Camerounais (BGFT);
• Chad : Bureau National de Fret Tchadien (BNFT);
• CAR : Bureau d’Affrètement Routier Centrafricain (BARC) ;

From Cameroon to each of the above countries the bound cargo commodities should be transported as follows:

• Chad: 35% by Cameroonian trucks and 65% by Chadian trucks;
• CAR: 40% by Cameroonian trucks and 60% by CAR trucks
• Equatorial Guinea and Gabon: no cargo transport convention exists.

The Cameroon transport companies could be split in three categories:

• The “end-to-end” companies such as Bollore Transport & Logistique (BTL), Maersk-Damco, la CMA-CGM (Compagnie Meridionale d’Affretement – Compagnie Générale Maritime) and OBT Shipping.
• Professional trucks companies, who entirely or partially own their fleet via leasing or premium purchase, like 3T or MEDLOG.
• Brokers, individuals or group of individuals hiring their vehicles on daily basis also called “Bana-bana”.

According to the Bureau de Gestion du Fret Terrestre (BGFT), these companies own many trucks estimated in 2014 at around 35,000 units. The truck companies are specialized in transport between main cities to neighbouring countries (Chad, the Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea).

The regime of quota could be difficult to observe in circumstances where one of the two countries (Chad and Central African Republic) has less trucks than Cameroon compared to its quota. In case it happens that a neighbour country cannot fulfil the transport of its quota, a gentleman’s agreement allows Cameroon to complete the transport facilities of the concerned cargo.

For more information on transport company contact details, please see the following link: 4.8 Cameroon Transporter Contact List

Transport in North-West and South-West

An additional constraint comes from the conflict in NW and SW. Security is a concern and most of the major transport companies refuse to send their fleet in these two regions. Several smaller companies do continue to do so. For more information on transport company contact details, please see the following link: 4.8 Cameroon Transporter Contact List

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.

The Agency for the Regulations of Telecommunications (ART) was created in 1998 to regulate telecommunications.

• Guarantee a fair and transparent competition amongst companies of telecommunications;
• Develop a wide access to the New Technology of Communication (NTC) to a large public.

The Agency has representations in Yaoundé, Douala and Garoua. It is relatively easy to subscribe a line with any dealer or commercial agent of one of the below mobile telephone providers. Only an ID card is needed for subscriber identification. The major companies in the mobile market in Cameroon are:

• ORANGE: covered 10 Regions - 38.1% of mobile subscribers as of January 2018
• MTN (South African Mobile Telecommunication Network) covered 10 regions - 37.3% of mobile subscribers as of January 2018
• NEXTTEL: covered 10 regions - 23.6% of subscribers as of January 2018
• CAMTEL (the Cameroon mobile telecommunication company): covered 10 regions - 1% of subscribers as of January 2018

This attachment provides a snapshot of digital statistical indicators.

Source: Le Mobile Au Kamer

A number of companies are now moving into local Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT). Systems for data transmission, international telephone service and Internet access.

For more information on telecoms contacts, please see the following link: 4.11 Cameroon Additional Services Contact List

Telecommunication Regulation

For ICT equipment (V-SAT and radio etc.) importation in Cameroon, a request for homologation of the devices should be addressed to ART (Regulating Authority) before it is used in the country.

Existing Humanitarian Telecoms Systems

The following pages present information on food suppliers and additional suppliers in Cameroon. 

Generic country information can be located from sources which are regularly maintained and reflect current facts and figures. For a general overview of country data related to the service and supply sectors, please consult the following sources:

The Observatory of Economic Complexity – MIT (OEC)

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.

Overview

For more information on company contact details, please see the following link: 4.11 Cameroon Additional Services Contact List

Vehicle rental

Many private rental car companies are available in Cameroon. For more information on vehicle rental company contact details, please see the following link: 4.11 Cameroon Additional Services Contact List

Taxis

For more information on taxi service provider contact details, please see the following link: 4.11 Cameroon Additional Services Contact List. 

Accommodation

For more information on accommodation service provider contact details, please see the following link: 4.11 Cameroon Additional Services Contact List. 

Electricity / Power Supply

ENEO CAMEROON SA (formerly AES-SONEL), is the only operator to supply electricity. It manages Cameroon’s power production and distribution to the population countrywide.

There are 1,184,372 subscribers regularly registered in 2017. Demand increased by 7.4% between 2014 and 2017.

Attachment - ENEO regional offices and head office contacts

Source: ENEO website 

In Cameroon the majority of electricity generated comes from hydroelectric power dams - in cases of long periods of drought, the country can face an electricity shortage. Taking this into account such a probability, climate change and the current declining oil production, the Government, in connection with ENEO Cameroon SA, is planning to implement a gas exploitation from its natural gas proved reserves to generate electricity in the future at Kribi from Sanaga natural gas field.  

Power Generation

The installed electricity generating capacity in Cameroon is estimated at 1,227 MW, of which 72.2% is from hydroelectric and 27.8% from fossil fuels. 

Three tank dams are implementing to increase the water level of the hydroelectric stations in case of shortage in times of drought. Three back-up diesel power stations are respectively on service in Garoua (20 MW), Douala (15 MW) and Yaoundé (11 MW).

Attachment - Cameroon Electric Map

The power energy of Cameroon managed by ENEO in 2017:

Supply

There are two main hydroelectric stations:

• Edea and Songloulou which is located on the Sananga River;
• Lagdo station located near Garoua.

There are seven electrical dam under construction (or in project) on the main waterways:

• Cholet dam and Mekin dam on the Dja river (2)
• Lom Pangar, Mape dam and NTui uphill junction of Sanaga river (3)
• Memve'ele dam on the Ntem.(1)
• Mokolo dam on the Mayo Tsanaga (1)

Most of Cameroon’s population does not have access to electricity. Power shortages and cuts are common. 

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.