(Business in Cameroon) - Initially set to begin in 2022, the Douala Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project is postponed until 2024.

Arnold Mouangue, the Director of Communication for the Urban Community of Douala (CUD), explained that the delay is necessary to ensure that compensation payments for those directly impacted by the project's execution can be finalized. According to him, “the construction can begin either in December 2023 or January 2024 once this phase is completed.”

The Director revealed that the Cameroonian government has already set aside nearly CFA12 billion to pay the compensations and all the studies required for the project have also been carried out. Per the project's financing plan, CFA260.8 billion will come from the World Bank (77.8% of the total cost) and CFA62.1 billion from public-private partnerships. The remaining amount is the money provided by the Cameroonian government for compensating the affected populations.

A significant 87% of the budget, CFA291.9 billion, will be allocated to the construction of the BRT network. This includes 28 kilometers of bus-exclusive lanes with separate lanes, 44 stations, 4 terminals, sewage systems, a water supply system, public lighting, the purchase of buses, and the implementation of a traffic management system. The remaining CFA43 billion will be used for urban development around the BRT stations, strengthening the institutional and professional capacities of existing public transport operators, and project management. Once the project is completed, Douala will have a modern transportation system for improved mobility.