By Nformi Sonde Kinsai
At a New Year wishes ceremony held in Yaoundé on January 28, 2026, the Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development (MINMIDT), Professor Fuh Calistus Gentry, declared that the coming year will be marked by the advancement of several multi-billion mining projects. These initiatives are set to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs across Cameroon.
Addressing collaborators from the ministry’s central and external services, as well as representatives from structures under its supervision, the Minister detailed the forthcoming developments. Key projects on the verge of taking off include the large-scale iron ore exploitation projects at Mbalam, Nkout, and Ngovayang, alongside significant gold exploitation projects at Mborguéné and Bibemi.
Professor Fuh Calistus provided specific figures, disclosing that the 650-million-ton Ngovayang iron ore deposit, with an estimated economic value of over $23 billion, is projected to yield approximately FCFA 45 billion to the state annually for 33 years. Similarly, the 600-million-ton Nkout iron ore reserves are expected to generate over FCFA 64 billion for the state. He confirmed that the mining convention for Nkout has already been negotiated, with works scheduled to commence this year.
Focusing on the gold sector, the Minister stated that the industrial mining of gold at Mborguéné, which already holds an exploitation permit and the Bibemi project, whose mining convention is under negotiation, will significantly reduce the prevalence of informal and artisanal operations. He explained that the current dominance of informal exploitation makes it difficult for the state to track export circuits and verify the true quantities of gold leaving the country.
He emphasized that 2026 will see the continued restructuring of the sector towards semi-mechanized artisanal gold exploitation. These efforts have already yielded encouraging results, with Cameroon’s official gold reserves increasing dramatically from 37kg to 1,500kg held by the Ministry of Finance, a figure expected to rise further this year. To combat fraud, teams from the National Permanent Secretariat of the Kimberley Process are involved in seizing gold being exported illegally through airports and borders, which is then handed over to the National Mining Corporation (SONAMINES).
The Minister urged all operators to conform to existing regulations, warning that applications for exploitation authorizations would be rejected for non-compliance. He acknowledged that contraband in artisanal mining is a global phenomenon in countries with young mining sectors, citing substantial unrecorded exports in neighboring nations. He called on all administrative bodies to play their full role in drastically reducing, and ultimately eradicating, this illicit trade.
Looking ahead, Professor Fuh Calistus announced that Cameroon will host the international symposium on mining, CIMEC, in 2026. The event, expected to attract over 100 countries, will place Cameroon at the center of mining negotiations in Africa.
The ceremony also served to revisit other ongoing projects. These include the iron ore exploitation at Bipindi Grand-Zambi, expected to generate 1,000 direct and 4,000 indirect jobs; the Kribi-Lobé iron ore project; the Minim-Martap industrial bauxite exploitation, set to create 5,000 direct and 20,000 indirect jobs; and the Bidzar and Biou South marble industrial exploitation, alongside the gold exploitation project at Colomine.