Trade Leads

Oil Field and Drilling Equipment

The Government of Cameroon is pursuing two programs as part of its energy plan and gas development strategy, including natural gas for diverse applications such as liquefied natural gas for export, power generation, fertilizers, etc. Proven reserves are reportedly impressive, with more than 60% found in the West coast area/ Rio del Rey - Southwest region. The government of Cameroon is also pursuing a project to liquefy petroleum gas (LPG) for residential and commercial uses (cooking). Currently 70% of domestic consumption is imported.

Opportunities exist for the supply of Casing, tubing, and drilling pipes of a kind used in drilling for oil or gas, as well as for parts for boring or sinking machinery of onshore oil and natural gas drilling and production platforms.

The government, through SNH, the national oil company, is considering plans to develop Cameroon’s natural gas resources. One possibility is to orient towards the export market (specifically Europe, which has growing demand for LNG) with a centralized processing facility. The other possibility is to process to meet local and regional demand, which currently outstrips supply.

Telecommunications Equipment

There are apparent discrepancies in the data for telecommunication imports: Cameroon’s National Institute of Statistics indicates only $88 million of telecommunication equipment imports in 2007, while the Cameroon Telecommunication Regulatory Board (ART) reported $250 million for just the three leading companies, in the sector, including South African-owned MTN, French-owned Orange, and Government-owned CAMTEL. An official at ART reports that the overall Cameroon demand telecommunication equipment is about $300 million, including small Internet distributors and importers and distributors of telephone equipment.

Opportunities exist for the supply of telecommunication equipment for the transmission of voice, data, text, and full motion picture video between network termination points and telecommunication reselling are potential good prospects. Switching equipment and transmission antenna that would provide direct communication via airwaves are likely to be of interest.

The government has announced the suspension of its plan to privatize CAMTEL, the government-owned telecommunication corporation. CAMTEL and private companies (Orange and MTN) are expected to continue to upgrade their infrastructure in the coming years.