The Mission for the Development and Management of Industrial Zones (MAGZI) has signed a memorandum of understanding with UAE-based SGC Investment LLC to mobilise technical and financial partners to develop industrial and logistics infrastructure. The agreement, signed on 9 January in Yaounde, positions industrial zones as a core lever for investment, job creation and export growth.

The two-year agreement was signed by Imran Saeed, Chief Executive Officer of SGC Investment LLC, and Christophe Akobord Mabiom, Deputy Director General of MAGZI. It provides a framework for financing studies, site development and equipment for MAGZI-led projects. Priority initiatives include the construction of a two-hectare logistics base at the Nomayos Industrial Zone near Yaounde and the development of a large-scale wood-processing industrial park in Bertoua, in the East Region.

The Bertoua Wood Industrial Park, designed for first-stage timber processing, is valued at FCFA 430 billion, according to MAGZI. The partnership also covers the acquisition of civil engineering equipment estimated at FCFA 3 billion to support zone development. Magzi confirmed that land for the Bertoua project is already available and that feasibility studies and an environmental impact assessment have been validated. A key energy component of the project is the planned installation of a biomass power plant with a capacity of 262.6 MW, intended to supply industrial operations within the zone.

Mobilising finance and technical partners :

Under the memorandum, SGC Investment LLC is expected to leverage its international expertise and networks to mobilise technical and financial partners for MAGZI’s projects, including contractors for industrial buildings and service providers for zone management. The scope of cooperation includes the National Programme for the Development and Planning of Industrial Zones (PNADZI) and projects led by decentralised local authorities to expand industrial activity beyond major urban centres.

MAGZI, for its part, has committed to facilitating access to project information, supporting administrative authorisations where required, and identifying and prioritising strategic industrial zones with high economic impact. The institution estimates that its current pipeline of projects could generate around 50,000 jobs once implemented.

Industrial zones and the wider economy

The agreement comes as Cameroon seeks to strengthen its industrial base and attract long-term foreign investment. According to the World Bank, manufacturing accounted for about 13% of Cameroon’s GDP in 2023, underscoring the government’s focus on industrialisation to raise value addition and exports. The African Development Bank reports that Central Africa attracted approximately $5.8bn in foreign direct investment inflows in 2023, with infrastructure and processing industries among the main drivers.

Bilateral cooperation between Cameroon and the United Arab Emirates has expanded in recent years, with discussions covering agriculture, air transport, port activities, renewable energy and logistics parks, according to official communications. MAGZI presented the Nomayos logistics base and the Bertoua industrial park to an Emirati delegation led by the UAE Minister of State in charge of international affairs, with partners encouraging further maturation of the projects through detailed technical and financial studies.