Cameroon to invest €1.8 billion for water and sanitation projects
The country of Cameroon hopes to achieve an access rate of 80% for clean water by 2032. As a part of its water supply master plan, Cameroon plans to invest more that 1.8 billion euros in clean water sanitation and supply across country. Of the projects being funded is the drinking water supply project for nine towns that will greatly expand clean water access for the country as well as upgrading and extending the existing water utilities of several major cities within Cameroon.
Aaron Farrar
Cameroon has launched a new national water policy to address its long-standing water supply challenges. The strategy, presented on April 11 in Yaoundé by the Ministry of Water and Energy and UNICEF, lays out a vision for overhauling the sector by 2035.
Despite previous development goals, the country remains far behind. A 2021 nationwide survey from the National Institute of Statistics shows that only 29% of households are connected to the public water network. Cameroon Water Utilities (Camwater), the state company in charge of water distribution, admits to losing more than half of its production due to leaks and illegal connections.
Most households rely on alternative sources like boreholes and pump wells (40%), protected wells (17%), unprotected wells (14%), and protected springs (10%) the last of which poses serious health risks.
Cameroon’s earlier Vision 2025 set a goal of reaching 75% access to safe water. That target has now been raised. Under the country’s 2020–2030 national development strategy (SND30), authorities are pushing for 100% water access in urban areas and 85% coverage in rural zones by 2030.
To meet these targets, the strategy promotes public-private partnerships and innovative climate finance tools. The investment plan calls for CFA200 billion to be raised by the end of the decade.
Minister of Water and Energy Gaston Eloundou Essomba acknowledged the slow pace of progress. “Sixty years after independence, a large part of the population still does not have access to clean water at reasonable distances and costs,” he said. He blamed the sector’s underperformance on scattered efforts and poor coordination between key players.
The new water policy aims to fix those gaps. A central piece of the plan is the creation of an intersectoral coordination framework to ensure all actors work together. Some of the main targets include achieving 60% sanitation coverage by 2030 and cutting Camwater’s technical losses.
Environmental protection is also a major pillar of the policy. The goal is to manage water not just as a resource, but as a driver of sustainable development—while safeguarding aquatic ecosystems. Technical partners have welcomed the approach as a potential turning point for the sector.
However, success will depend on more than just planning. Funding remains a major challenge, as does making sure local governments play an active role in water governance. Transparency in how public contracts are awarded will also be key.
As Cameroon prepares to mark 65 years of independence in 2025, delivering on this policy could become a defining moment in its effort to provide basic services to its people.
https://sdgtalks.ai/cameroon-allocates-18-billion-for-water-and-sanitation-projects
