Yaoundé — The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), through its subregional office for Central Africa and the African Centre for Statistics, is providing technical support to Cameroon to develop its energy accounts.

In collaboration with Cameroon’s National Institute of Statistics (INS) and the World Bank under the HISWACA project, an intensive workshop is underway in Douala from June 22 to 26 to pinpoint the nation’s energy account development needs.

The gathering brings together key government institutions, energy sector agencies, and technical and financial partners. Together, they will assess available data and outline the technical, methodological, and institutional requirements to compile energy accounts aligned with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA). This internationally recognized UN framework tracks the nexus between economic activity and the environment.

Energy accounts: a modern tool for integrated decision-making

Energy accounts serve as a statistical bridge, connecting extraction, production, transformation, consumption, and trade of energy with national economic activity and environmental impacts. They provide a unified view of energy’s role in the economy and its ecological footprint.

This framework enables policymakers to answer critical questions: How much energy is produced annually? Which sectors drive the highest energy demand? How is energy transformed and utilized across industries? What is its contribution to economic growth? How do energy policies influence job creation and greenhouse gas emissions? By answering these, energy accounts guide investment decisions essential for the country’s energy transition.

Aligning with national priorities and global goals

Developing these accounts directly supports Cameroon’s Vision 2035 and the National Development Strategy 2020–2030 (SND30), which prioritize structural transformation, sustainable industrialization, and energy transition as core developmental pillars.

Moreover, energy accounts will enhance progress tracking for several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 13 (climate action), and SDG 15 (life on land), by enabling evidence-based monitoring of resource use and emissions.

Workshop in Douala sets the stage for action

The Douala workshop marks a pivotal step in the energy account compilation process. Participants will identify user needs, evaluate existing datasets, highlight data gaps, and draft a clear operational roadmap for future account compilation. This roadmap will ensure that statistics are both reliable and policy-relevant.

This initiative is part of the National Plan for Environmental and Economic Accounting (PNDEAE), adopted by the Cameroonian government in 2023. The PNDEAE designates energy accounting as a priority area for operationalizing environmental and economic accounting nationwide.

Building capacity and ensuring global standards

Through this effort, UNECA is strengthening Cameroon’s national statistical capabilities and promoting the adoption of environmental and economic accounting standards. The support includes adherence to international methodological guidelines, access to specialized expertise—including that of the UK’s Office for National Statistics—and continuous technical assistance throughout the compilation process.