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Douala’s New Frontier:
Jobs, Industry, and Opportunity

Cameroon officially broke ground on July 24, 2025, on a transformative 500-hectare industrial and logistics zone in Dibamba, near Douala. A joint venture between the Port Autonome de Douala (PAD) and India’s Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP), the project - valued at CFA 230 billion (around USD 411 million) - is set to reshape the country's economic landscape.

Planned in two phases, the first phase will span 100 hectares and is budgeted at CFA 160 billion over 24 months. It will create a multimodal logistics hub featuring modern warehouses and integrated transport links by road, rail, and river - initially generating around 15,000 direct and indirect jobs. The second, 350-hectare phase will roll out over 36 months with a CFA 70 billion investment, housing agro-industrial units, a timber cluster, and a modern fishing port.

Beyond its physical infrastructure, the project underscores socio-economic inclusivity: 30–55% of subcontracting will be reserved for Cameroonian firms, enabling SMEs to participate actively in the development process. Additional investor-friendly features include a one-stop administrative window, tax and customs incentives, and a vocational training center to upskill local talent.

Aligned with Cameroon’s National Development Strategy 2020–2030 (SND30), the initiative aims to boost industrialization, reducing raw exports, decongesting Douala’s port, and improving regional connectivity. When fully operational, it is expected to generate up to half a million direct, indirect, and induced jobs, providing long-term socio-economic momentum.

This ambitious project marks a new era for Cameroon’s industrial future - an integrated, sustainable, and inclusive vision poised to position the nation as a dynamic regional industrial hub. Let the engines of growth begin.

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