Analysis of the value chain of the sectors of building materials and the construction industry in Cameroon

Description

The objective of the work was to analyze the target sectors in detail, assessing the reasons why they currently present a slow level of development, particularly in relation to the countries in their surroundings.

The results of the study should guide the industrialization strategy of the Government of Cameroon in general and, in particular, the strategy for the revitalization and promotion of these two sectors.

The ultimate goal is to help Cameroon diversify so as not to depend on imported construction materials, by increasing the production and competitiveness of locally produced construction materials, and improving the competitiveness of the construction industry in general.

Functions developed

• Institutional analysis (public and private support and support entities) and legal framework of the sectors in Cameroon, with special attention to compliance with the guidelines on safety and quality.
• Evaluation of training and R&D in both sectors.
• Detailed study of the value chain in the two sectors, both from a technical and socio-economic point of view, including:
  • Disaggregation and analysis of the role of each of the different agents involved (institutional, producers, importers, distributors and large end consumers).
  • Types of products (cement and its derivatives, metals, wood, stones and gravel, etc.).
  • Origin of these products and price levels, disaggregated by the analysis of the degree of development of the national industry, imports and exports.
• International benchmarking, both with the surrounding countries (Gulf of Guinea) and with other countries in Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, Kenya, Namibia, etc.).
• Identification of obstacles and barriers that limit the development and growth of a solid national sector.
• Proposal of specific recommendations for the development of a sectoral development strategy that involves all sectoral agents and allows the competitiveness of both sectors.

For the development of the work, 65 individual surveys were carried out with agents from the entire value chain of both sectors, focused mainly in Yaoundé and Doualá, the two main cities of the country, and where these sectors have a higher level of development.