Work to build a highway in Cameroon connecting Kribi with Lolabé is now restarting. Financing issues resulted in the Chinese contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), halting its building work for the 38.5km highway project at the end of 2018.
A funding shortfall of close to US$132.8 million led to the construction being stopped. However, the contract has been awarded to CHEC again by Cameroon's Ministry of Public Works. The deal is for a design, finance, build, equip and maintain contract.
Around 86% of the necessary funding for the project is being provided by Exim Bank of China. The remaining funding is being provided by the Cameroon Government.
Included in the work is the building of a 4.7km road to link the existing N8 and N7 routes. The project is due for completion in the third quarter of 2020, around 28 months behind the original schedule.
Once complete, the highway will improve transport connections to and from Cameroon’s port of Kribi.
