(Business in Cameroon) - On 22 February 2017, the Federal Council of Nigeria approved the project to construct a bridge linking the country with the highest population in Africa to Cameroon, we learn from Nigerian media sources. The estimated cost of this project is US dollars 40 million (FCfa 24.8 billion equivalent), of which US dollars 38 million (FCfa 23.6 billion) for the actual bridge, and US dollars 1.9 million (FCfa 1.2 billion) for supervision of operations. According to the details given by the Nigerian authorities, this bridge will be built in the area of Ikot Efiom in Nigeria, and should join the 403-km road being completed, linking the towns of Enugu (Nigeria) and Bamenda (North-West Cameroon).

Financing for this cross-border road project, according to the Nigerian government, will be provided by the African Development Bank (AfDB). As a reminder, with its market of almost 170 million consumers, Nigeria is the primary supplier of Cameroon (22 and 17.8% of imports in 2011 and 2012), with whom trade exchanges total on average FCfa 382 billion a year, according to the Cameroonian Ministry of Commerce; not to mention contraband products, which are traded on both sides of the 1500 Km border separating the two countries.

Brice R. Mbodiam