By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Cameroon’s Interim Minister of Mines, Industry, and Technological Development (MINMIDT), Prof. Fuh Calistus Gentry, has unveiled Cameroon’s tyre factory plan, which is expected to save Cameroon billions of CFA francs.
Minister Gentry unveiled the plans recently during his visit to the Southwest region. Reaffirming the government’s commitment to industrial development and economic growth, he announced that the tyre plant will be launched in 2025. The trye factory will be located in Tiko.
Local rubber from the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) will be used to produce tyres. This initiative aligns with the government’s import-substitution strategy and aims to create jobs and stimulate local economic growth.
Besides the tyre plant, the Minister highlighted the PRISTINE SASU project, a CFA 32 billion investment in Tiko, which will produce mineral water, carbonated drinks, and dairy products. The project is expected to create 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, contributing significantly to the region’s socio-economic development.
Minister Gentry reiterated the government’s policy of establishing one industry per subdivision across the country. This initiative aims to promote decentralized industrialization, leveraging regional resources and expertise.
He indicated that recent decrees provide tax benefits for investors in economic disaster areas, including the Southwest Region. These incentives are designed to attract investment, stimulate growth, and support the region’s recovery.
Concerning energy, he stated that progress has been made, including the signing of agreements for cross-border oil and gas fields and the imminent exploitation of the Étindé gas field. These initiatives will provide a sustainable energy supply, driving industrial growth and development.
MINMIDT pledged support for leading agro-industries, PAMOL and CDC, to strengthen their capacities and contribute to the region’s economic development.
Before visiting the Southwest Region, Minister Gentry stopped in Douala, Littoral Region. He stated that the week-long visit was to touch base and assure Cameroonians that the State is working hard to improve the future of its citizens.
“I want to assure all the youths that Cameroon is under construction,” the Minister said. “We are building mines in Kribi and from next year we shall start the Adamawa project and the whole country will be under construction.”
He added, “…So I’ve come to assure Cameroonians that the government is working very hard to better their lives.” In order to implement the industrialization master plan, the Minister indicated that the government has mapped out a number of strategies to increase the density of Cameroon’s industrial fabric.
