Phase 1 of the project to build 10,000 social housing units in Cameroon has been completed at 25% as of March 31, 2023, according to official data provided by the steering committee. A little more than FCFA43 billion have already been invested, we learned.
As a reminder, per the loan agreement signed on March 1, 2017, the Italian bank Itensa Sanpaolo committed to providing Cameroon with FCFA115 billion for this first phase entrusted to Italian company Pizarotti.
The current disbursement rate, therefore, stands at 39.1%. In total, Phase I will cover 16ha and include the construction of 1,224 housing units, with 224 designated as social housing. Plans are also in place to develop essential public facilities, access roads, and other necessary infrastructure components.
To date, the funds allocated have enabled the commencement of construction work at the Ekoko II and Nkolmeyos sites in the Centre Region. Progress achieved at the first work site includes the completion of site layout, excavation, reinforcement, formwork, and waterproofing of all 14 planned foundations. Also, 31 housing units (out of the 224 to be built) have been successfully built, tiles and windows installed, wall surfaces prepared, and 11 septic tanks constructed. However, progress is slower at the Nkolmeyos site. Stump removal, earthworks, and temporary installations are underway, with only the geotechnical survey campaign being completed.
According to the steering committee, progress at both construction sites could have been further along “but for the concessionaires’ failure to meet the contractual deadlines for providing electricity, water, and fiber optic services”. This means that Eneo, Camwater, and Camtel are facing challenges in delivering the necessary utilities at the construction phase, resulting in delays in the overall progress. Moreover, the absence of effective technical project management and the lack of funding for the project management unit’s operations pose significant difficulties.
Phase 2 of the project, set for completion by 2026, involves the construction of 9,000 housing units in Zouatoupsi and Nkolntsam, located in the Mbankomo district of the Centre Region.
It should be noted that the housing project, carried out by the Cameroon Real Estate Company (SIC), seeks to improve the country’s housing supply. Officially, housing deficit in Cameroon is estimated at 2 million units.