Business in Cameroon | Société Anonyme des Boissons du Cameroun (SABC) has signed a financing agreement to construct a stadium in Kumba, a city located in Cameroon’s crisis-hit Southwest region. The deal, valued at 500 million CFA francs, marks the second installment of a 1 billion CFA franc commitment from SABC to aid in the reconstruction of the Anglophone, which have been affected by a separatist conflict since 2017.
The agreement was formalized in Buea on May 30, 2025, by Stéphane Descazeaud, General Manager of SABC, and Paul Tasong, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development.
SABC, a subsidiary of the French group Castel, originally pledged its support to the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction and Development of the North-West and South-West Regions (PPRD) on May 18, 2021. The initial 500 million CFA franc installment was previously remitted to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which serves as the government’s facilitator for the plan.
“This funding supports the construction of a football stadium in the city of Kumba, a project we actively support throughout its implementation,” Stéphane Descazeaud stated. He added that the initiative is integral to socio-economic recovery. “This project makes perfect sense in a region that has experienced major crises. The Anglophone part of Cameroon, beyond its key role in the national economy, needs tangible support to regain its dynamism, confidence, and future prospects. Through this initiative, we fully align ourselves with the government’s efforts to achieve the goals of the PPRD.”
Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute, present in the Southwest for the signing, lauded SABC’s contribution, deeming it aligned with the government’s ambitions. He described the PPRD as “both ambitious and eloquent in its achievements.”
According to the head of government, 600 billion CFA francs have been mobilized for the PPRD since its launch in 2021, out of a planned total of 2,500 billion CFA francs. Among the significant accomplishments already recorded, Ngute highlighted the rehabilitation of several key infrastructures, including schools, health centers, drinking water supply systems, and the reissuance of civil status documents.