A new contender has entered the race for Yaoundé’s landmark urban road project. The Indian infrastructure group Ashoka Buildcon Limited has officially submitted an integrated proposal that combines design, construction, and financial packaging for the Yaoundé bypass, estimated at over 1,260 billion CFA francs excluding taxes. The offer was presented on June 9 to Cameroon’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, which oversees the operation.

During the meeting, Vinit Chitale, the group’s global business development head, outlined a scheme built around the EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) model. Under this arrangement, a single contractor handles engineering, procurement, construction, and delivery of the project. Ashoka Buildcon also expressed willingness to help mobilise financial resources, a critical point as the funding round remains incomplete.

A 90-kilometre ring road to ease congestion in Cameroon’s capital

Designed as a 90.54-kilometre dual carriageway with two lanes in each direction, the Yaoundé bypass will cross the departments of Mfoundi, Lékié, Mefou-et-Afamba, and Mefou-et-Akono. The wide profile is intended to eventually accommodate an expressway or a dedicated public transport corridor. The route is divided into four successive sections, from Mbankomo to Nkolméyang, then towards Nkozoa, Minkoameyos, and back to Mbankomo.

The project includes 16 interchanges, several engineering structures, and hydraulic installations to secure the alignment. According to the latest ministry estimates, the road component alone accounts for 794.7 billion CFA francs excluding taxes. An additional 469 billion CFA francs is allocated for the development of four urban growth poles in the municipalities of Mbankomo, Mfou, Soa, and Okola. The total cost thus reaches 1,263.7 billion CFA francs excluding taxes.

Per kilometre, these figures highlight the scale of the financial effort. The road infrastructure alone costs nearly 8.8 billion CFA francs per kilometre. Including the associated urban poles, the price climbs to about 14 billion CFA francs per kilometre, a ratio that places the project among the most capital-intensive ever launched in the region.

The T3 section as a technical showcase for European donors

Unable to start all four sections simultaneously, the Cameroonian government has prioritised the T3 section. Measuring 22.8 kilometres, it connects Nkozoa on National Road No. 1 to Minkoameyos at the end of the Yaoundé-Douala motorway. This section is considered strategic because it would capture a substantial share of transit traffic before it enters the capital, easing pressure on central roads.

The European Union and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have already expressed strong interest in this section. However, finalising their participation depends on several technical, environmental, and social prerequisites, including compensation, impact studies, and completion of the Resettlement Action Plan. It is precisely in this gap that Ashoka Buildcon’s offer fits, potentially broadening the range of solutions available for Yaoundé.

Still, several uncertainties remain. The exact legal nature of the envisaged contract, the financial terms, any guarantees requested from the Cameroonian state, and how the Indian proposal aligns with the European donors already committed to T3 have not been settled. A scheme combining European concessional financing with Indian input on the other sections remains to be explored.

Ashoka Buildcon: a diversified Indian road player

Ashoka Buildcon Limited is one of India’s major road infrastructure developers. The group operates in EPC, public-private partnerships, BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer), and the Hybrid Annuity Model, a mechanism popular in India where the state covers part of the investment and the operator handles the rest against annuities. The company is also active in energy, railways, and building construction.

For Cameroonian authorities, the appeal of such a partner lies in its demonstrated ability to bundle engineering, execution, and financial structuring into a single offer. However, no elements allow predicting an award. At this stage, the move resembles an expression of interest in a project whose technical maturity contrasts with the persistent delay in financial closure. Transforming a dossier that has been in preparation for years into an actual construction site remains the ultimate test for Yaoundé.