Cameroon’s sustained demographic growth since the 1980s has posed a number of challenges for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, which plans to launch a number of projects in 2024 to manage space and population. The ultimate aim is to modernise all Cameroonian cities.
According to demographic estimates and projections in the United Nations’ revised World Urbanization Prospects, the population of Yaoundé in 2024 is now estimated at 4,681,768. In 1950, the population was 31,644. The capital Yaoundé has grown by 172,481 inhabitants over the past year, representing an annual variation of 3.83%. The growth of Cameroon’s urban population and the development of new urban centres adjacent to older urban centres are some of the main reasons for urban sprawl. The public authorities wish to control the social and spatial evolution of urban areas through SND 30 and the construction of infrastructure to support its ambition to achieve upper middle-income status by 2035.
“We’re going to attack with speed and determination the projects that will improve people’s living conditions and continue to modernise our cities. Just yesterday, I received a delegation from Bertoua who said, we no longer recognize Bertoua, we no longer recognize Bafoussam, Ngaoundéré is undergoing a transformation. ”
Célestine KETCHA COURTES, Minister of Housing and Urban Development – Cameroon
The Government’s draft 2024 performance plan for housing and urban development submitted to the National Assembly’s Finance and Budget Committee for approval weighs in at 148 billion 498 million 468 thousand CFA francs. 23.9% of these resources, i.e. just over 35 billion FCFA, are earmarked for the construction of 175 housing units as part of the project to build 10,000 social housing units and related social and community facilities with the firm PIZZAROTTI in 2024; the construction of 1,032 light points and 16,200 m² of landscaping, the construction of the water lily restaurant, 1.6 km of roadway, 40,000 m² of landscaped green space and 19 light points built as part of the project to enhance the municipal lake and develop the Mingoa valley.
“From January 24, we will be launching a project that is dear to the President of the Republic, the MOVE project, Green Mobility in Yaoundé. In partnership with the EU, AFD, GIZ and KFD, we’re going to develop the heart of Yaoundé so that pedestrians can enjoy the road, avoid traffic jams by reorganising the structure of the road. ”
Célestine KETCHA COURTES, Minister of Housing and Urban Development – Cameroon
In 2024, Cameroon’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Development also plans to build drains in Maroua and Douala, and several sanitation works in Yaoundé .
