(Business in Cameroon) - In Cameroon, industrial businesses’ rising propensity to self-produce the energy they need is causing revenue shortfalls for the public electricity sector, Minister of Water and Energy Gaston Eloundou Essomba claimed during the recent budget session.

“Due to the instability of the [electricity] network, manufacturers are increasingly engaged in energy self-production. They use 450 MW equipment like boilers, ovens, dryers that run on fuel, diesel, gasoline, wood, or gas instead of the energy generated and injected into the transmission grid. This is why I met with members of the GICAM [the most representative employers’ organization in Cameron] in July 2021 to show them the outcome [of such practices], which is several billions of revenue shortfalls for the electricity sector monthly,” he said.

To avoid those losses, manufacturers have to use appropriate electrical equipment. However, according to the Minister of Water and Energy, the manufacturers explained they would do so only once the quality of public electricity service is improved. Meanwhile, according to the electric utility, disruptions in the energy supply are worsened by the dilapidated state of the transport and distribution infrastructures. For the eclectic utility, because of the state of the infrastructure, 40% of the energy generated is lost. 

S.A.