In a landmark move for Cameroon’s energy landscape, President Paul Biya signed a presidential decree on May 4, 2026, officially transforming “Energy of Cameroon” ENEO Cameroon S.A. into a fully state-owned corporation.

The new entity, named the Cameroon Electricity Corporation, will be known by its abbreviation, SOCADEL. With headquartered in Douala, SOCADEL begins its operations with the state as the sole shareholder, though the decree allows for the possibility of opening shareholding to other public or private entities in the future.

​SOCADEL has been granted a broad mission to manage the production, distribution, import, export, and sale of electric power both within Cameroon and abroad. As part of this transition, all assets, rights, and technical facilities previously belonging to ENEO have been transferred to the new corporation.

The decree ensures continuity in service by stipulating that SOCADEL will prioritize the employment of staff from the defunct ENEO, while also maintaining the flexibility to recruit direct personnel or utilize civil servants on secondment.

Headed by Oumarou Hamadjoda, former Deputy General Manager of ENEO, the governance of SOCADEL is structured around three main bodies: the General Meeting, the Board of Directors, and Management.

The General Meeting will be chaired by a representative of the Minister of Finance, while the Board of Directors will include a diverse array of stakeholders, including representatives from the Presidency, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the heads of both the National Electricity Transmission Company – SONATREL and the Electricity Development Corporation – EDC. This oversight structure is designed to ensure that the corporation’s resolutions align with national sector policies and financial guidelines.

​Financially, SOCADEL will operate as an autonomous legal entity, deriving its resources from the sale of electricity to households and businesses, as well as state financing and parafiscal taxes. Although its funds are classified as public, they will be managed according to private accounting rules to promote efficiency and performance.

The corporation remains under the dual technical and financial supervision of the ministries in charge of electricity and finance, respectively, with annual reports on its situation being submitted directly to the President of the Republic.