(Business in Cameroon) - If all goes well, within a few years, Cameroon will own its pipeline. The infrastructure should facilitate the transportation of petroleum products from the National Refinery (Sonora) in Limbe to major cities such as Yaoundé and Douala. The Memorandum of Understanding for the feasibility study of this project was signed last Friday, May 24^th in Yaounde between the state and a group of investors, the Govind Group.

The documents signed Friday concerned the first phase, 377 km long between Limbe and Douala and Yaoundé via Edea. Investors evaluate the first phase at about $ 900 million.

In return, they expect facilities at the administrative and judicial level. “Once the prerequisites are done, we could complete the first phase of the pipeline in three years,” assured Andy Bennett, Vice President Govind Development LLC.

Once this infrastructure is completed, the transportation of petroleum products across the country will be made on the one hand, by the sea, between the refinery and Douala, and secondly, by road or rail between Douala and other cities without much concern. “There is evidence that distributing these products by pipeline is more efficient, safer and less expensive,” said the Minister of Energy and Water, Basile Atangana Kouna.

Eventually, the state subsidies in the petroleum sector could significantly decline.