Cameroon’s economic capital, Douala, on October 8, 2026 hosted a pivotal capacity-building workshop for Presidents of Regional Councils to enhance the planning, execution, and oversight of regional road maintenance.
Organized as part of the Road Fund’s 2026 action plan, the seminar focused on aligning local leadership with the Fund’s updated operational framework. During the event, Road Fund Administrator Aubin Essaïe Moussa explained how Decree No. 2025/293 of July 10, 2025, has reshaped the institution’s mandate, establishing a more effective structure for resource mobilization, road preservation, and network safety across the country.
The workshop underscored the growing role of Decentralized Territorial Authorities under Decree No. 2017/144, which grants project management authority for regional roads directly to Regional Councils and Regional Executive Councils.
Between 2023 and 2026, the Road Fund successfully mobilized 21.162 billion FCFA to maintain 2,449.92 kilometers of roads and 236 linear meters of engineering structures nationwide.
These funds were allocated across all ten regions, led by the Northwest (3.392 billion FCFA), West (2.562 billion FCFA), North (2.314 billion FCFA), and Central (2.124 billion FCFA) regions, demonstrating a strong financial commitment to converting decentralization goals into tangible infrastructure improvements.
To ensure effective implementation, the training program was structured around five core modules covering transferred competencies, program design methodologies, project handovers, financial payment processing, and the decisive role of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development – MINHDU.
Practical discussions centered on identifying recurring administrative mistakes in draft contracts to prevent processing delays and boost execution quality. By equipping regional executives with practical technical tools, the Road Fund seeks to address systemic operational bottlenecks and improve governance standards across local contracting entities.
Beyond technical training, the event served as a collaborative forum for sharing best practices, establishing a virtuous cycle of knowledge exchange across regional administrations. Participants emphasized that effective decentralization requires active collaboration between local authorities and technical or financial partners to secure supplementary funding and ensure long-term project viability.
Strengthening inter-regional dialogue allows successful strategies implemented in one jurisdiction to be adapted elsewhere, fostering a more balanced and integrated approach to national infrastructure development.
To guarantee financial transparency and accountability, municipal and regional representatives were instructed to set up rigorous monitoring and evaluation frameworks for all funded road maintenance operations. Regular evaluation mechanisms will allow local authorities to adjust strategies based on real-time field data, ensuring optimal resource utilization and improved project delivery. This systematic tracking is expected to build public confidence while establishing clear benchmarks for measuring contractor performance and infrastructure durability.
The Douala workshop represents a significant step forward in modernizing Cameroon’s road network management by aligning localized project authority with structured financial support. Equipped with clearer guidelines and improved management skills, Regional Councils are now better positioned to lead regional development initiatives.
Continued collaboration among government agencies, local authorities, and international partners will remain essential to overcoming operational challenges and building resilient transport infrastructure across the country.
