(Business in Cameroon) - Between 2011 and 2017, SABC invested a little more than CFA199 billion in Cameroon.

According to the company’s  financial statements, this amount is a little more than the benefits (CFA187.3 billion) it realized during the period under review.

It also represents more than 90% of the CFA238 billion Cameroon borrowed for Lom Pangar dam ( the largest energy infrastructure in the country) or of the about CFA245 billion loan for Kribi deepwater port that became the most important port on the West African coast.

Let’s note however that in 2016, these investments dropped drastically from CFA39.5 billion in 2013 and CFA40 billion in 2014 to CFA14 billion.

Last year, it rose up again to CFA24 billion mainly because SABC decided not to share dividends to its shareholders. That year, it set a plan to invest about CFA35 billion.

These investments were concentrated on its production tools and, according to the management, it was aimed at conquering the market. Indeed, because of the security challenges in some regions and of the massive beer imports from Equatorial Guinea and from Nigeria, SABC’s sales have dropped.

In the framework of its reconquest plan, SABC launched four new production chains in its Douala, Yaoundé and Bafoussam based plants. One of those production chains is exclusively dedicated to canned drinks.

Brice R. Mbodiam