Middle East / Africa

Cameroon flag
Summary | Profile

Country profile: Cameroon

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
Climate: varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
Terrain: diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north
Size: 475440 sq. km total (Land area: 469440 sq. km  Water area: 6000 sq.km)
Population: 18,467,692
Languages: 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)
Government: republic; multiparty presidential regime
Capital city: Yaounde
Legal system: based on French civil law system, with common law influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note
Licensing:

Country profile

In the last three years, Chad’s economy has experienced strong economic growth from its oil industry. In 2004, foreign investments into Chad and petroleum exports via the Chad-Cameroon pipeline were the primary driving forces behind the country’s considerable real gross domestic product growth (GDP) rate of 30 percent. In 2005, high oil prices attributed to Chad’s GDP growth rate of 7 percent. Investments in Chad’s oil industry have led to growth in other areas as well, such as the trade, transportation, and public services sectors. Additional economic growth is expected to come from foreign investment in new oil exploration licenses that are to be offered in 2007. Although oil production was not impeded, Chad experienced civil strife throughout 2006, which included rebel forces marching on the capital, N’Djamena.

Cameroon’s economy has exhibited steady economic growth since the mid 1990’s. However, the country saw a slight decline in real GDP growth after the completion of the Chad-Cameroon pipeline. In 2005, the real GDP growth rate was 2.6 percent. High energy prices have helped offset economic growth declines, but they have also increased inflationary pressures in Cameroon. In 2005, inflation was 2 percent. In May 2006, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank indicated that Cameroon had completed its obligations under the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. Cameroon will now receive more than $1 billion in bilateral debt relief and additional multilateral aid, which together, will provide a 50 percent reduction in the country’s total external debt. Chad became a net petroleum exporter after the Chad-Cameroon pipeline came online in 2003. Industry experts still consider Chad under-explored, and future oil discoveries could increase petroleum exports even more. Chad lacks refining infrastructure and relies on neighboring Cameroon and Nigeria for refined product imports, however, delivery problems often leave Chad faced with refined product shortages.

Chad has no known natural gas reserves and neither produces nor consumes natural gas. Due to a lack of investment, Chad generates and consumes only small amounts of electricity, of which, 100 percent is conventional thermal electricity. In place of electricity, the majority of Chadians rely on biomass fuels such as wood and animal dung. Cameroon has experienced a fairly steady decline in its domestic oil production over the past 20 years. The country is still a net oil exporter, but if new fields do not come online in the near future, Cameroon could become a net oil importer. Currently, Cameroon does not produce any natural gas, but the country has plans to develop its natural gas reserves for generating electricity in the future. The majority of electricity generated in Cameroon comes from hydroelectric power stations, though droughts can often leave the country dealing with electricity shortages.

Energy production and consumption


Oil Gas
Production: 82,670 bbl/day (2005 est.)  
Consumption: 24,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)  
Exports: 107,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)  
Imports: 63,710 bbl/day (2005 est.)  
Reserves: 95 million bbl (2007 est.)  
Major fields:



Cameroon - recent news

10 Nov 23
Bowleven announces full year results
AIM-listed Bowleven has announced full year results. Bowleven remains on the verge of a significant turning point with a new Etinde operatorship in Cameroon offering a renewed focus and clearer vision to the monetisation of the asset.
26 Sep 23
Bowleven provides corporate and operational update
AIM-listed Bowleven, the Africa focused oil and gas, exploration and production company with key interests in Cameroon, has provided a corporate and operational update.
25 Sep 23
Cameroon: Release by Scatec celebrates the inauguration of solar plants in Cameroon
Release by Scatec celebrates the inauguration of the solar plants in Cameroon. Release entered into a lease agreement with ENEO, an electricity company, in 2021 to deliver two solar hybrid and battery storage plants that have a combined capacity of 36MW solar and 20MW/19MWh of storage. The plants are located in Maroua and Guider, in the Grand-North Cameroon.
27 Apr 23
Cameroon: Tower Resources provides update on Thali PSC, offshore Cameroon
Tower Resources has provided an update on its activities in respect of its Thali PSC in the Rio Del Rey sedimentary basin offshore Cameroon. The Company has applied for a one-year extension of the initial exploration period of the PSC. Discussions continue with rig owners and operators with the aim to secure rig availability in the third and fourth quarter of this year to drill at NJOM-3.
21 Apr 23
Cameroon: Savannah Energy signs MOA with the Government of Cameroon for the 75 MW Bini a Warak Hydroelectric Project
Savannah Energy has signed a Memorandum of Agreement ('MOA') with the Government of the Republic of Cameroon for the development of the Bini a Warak Hydroelectric Project, which is expected to provide clean, stable and affordable power to northern Cameroon that will support both households and industrial projects in the region.

Cameroon - more news

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