(Business in Cameroon) - An economic operator who invests in property in Douala, the Cameroonian economic capital, should expect that this investment obtains an average rate of return of almost 9%, irrespective of the property type. In real terms, the British consultancy Knight Frank, which has just published a report on the subject, reveals that in this city office rents obtain a rate of return of 10%, against 8.75 and 7.5% for commercial and residential rents.

In Yaoundé, the capital of the country, investments in real estate offer the same rates of return with a slight advantage for commercial rents, whose rate of return is 9%, against 8.75% in the city of Douala. According to Knight Frank, a multinational specialised in the sale, rental, wealth management of properties and consulting, in the office real estate segment, the most profitable cities in Africa are Antananarivo (Madagascar) and Luanda (Angola), which each offer a rate of return of 14%, as well as Bamako (Mali), Lilongwe and Kinshasa (12% for each of these cities).

In the commercial property segment, Antananarivo is once again on top of the ranking with a return rate of 13%, ahead of Luanda, Bamako, Kinshasa and Kampala (12% for each of these cities).

In the residential property segment, it is Kinshasa and Antananarivo which occupy the first place, with return rates of 12% each, ahead of Luanda (11%), Bamako (10%), and Lusaka (10%).

Brice R. Mbodiam