(Business in Cameroon) - Cameroon's waste collection company, Hysacam, could face a further reduction in its market share in Yaoundé in the coming months.

Hysacam, along with Thychlof Sarl and oversight firms Sitram and Era-Cameroon, will need to submit competitive bids to maintain their positions as their current contracts expire on December 31. The Mayor of Yaoundé, Luc Messi Atangana, has opted for a competitive bidding process to select the next waste collection operators after the current contracts expire. According to official information, the mayor aims to have one operator per district, meaning that even if Hysacam is selected, it will be limited to serving just one district.

As a reminder, Hysacam lost its monopoly in this market with the arrival of Thychlof Sarl a year ago. Authorities said this was a response to numerous complaints received from residents of major cities like Yaoundé and Douala about the quality of its services. Mayor Luc Messi Atangana said the company is struggling to cope with the increasing volume of waste due to public negligence, population growth, and the city's rapid expansion.

Let’s also note that Hysacam has experienced multiple staff strikes due to poor working conditions and unpaid wages. However, the company blamed these challenges on the state's failure to make timely payments for services.