Ashoka Buildcon eyes Yaoundé bypass in $1.26 billion deal

Yaoundé’s long-awaited bypass project has drawn the attention of a new player: India’s Ashoka Buildcon Limited. The company has submitted a bold proposal for the 90.54-kilometer urban bypass, valued at over 1,260 billion FCFA (excluding taxes), featuring an integrated package covering design, construction, and financial structuring. The bid was formally presented on June 9 to Cameroon’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the agency overseeing the initiative.

During the meeting, Vinit Chitale, the firm’s global business development head, outlined a comprehensive Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model. Under this arrangement, a single contractor oversees the entire lifecycle of the project—from engineering and procurement to construction and delivery. Notably, Ashoka Buildcon has also pledged support in securing financing, a critical factor given the incomplete funding round for the initiative.

Designed to ease congestion in Cameroon’s capital

The bypass is engineered as a dual-carriageway spanning 90.54 kilometers, cutting through four departments: Mfoundi, Lékié, Mefou-et-Afamba, and Mefou-et-Akono. Its robust design allows for future expansion into an expressway or dedicated public transport corridor. The route is segmented into four key sections: Mbankomo to Nkolméyang, Nkolméyang to Nkozoa, Nkozoa to Minkoameyos, and Minkoameyos back to Mbankomo.

The project includes 16 interchanges, multiple bridges, and hydraulic works to bolster safety along the route. Official estimates indicate that the purely road component will cost 794.7 billion FCFA (excluding taxes), while the urban development poles in Mbankomo, Mfou, Soa, and Okola will require an additional 469 billion FCFA. The combined budget reaches 1,263.7 billion FCFA (excluding taxes), translating to roughly 8.8 billion FCFA per kilometer for the road alone—or about 14 billion FCFA per kilometer when factoring in the urban poles. These figures place the initiative among the most ambitious infrastructure projects in Central Africa.

The T3 section: a technical showcase for European lenders

With all four sections unable to proceed simultaneously, Cameroon’s government has prioritized the 22.8-kilometer T3 segment, linking Nkozoa (National Road 1) to Minkoameyos, near the Yaoundé-Douala highway. This stretch is pivotal as it would intercept a significant share of transit traffic before it enters the capital, reducing pressure on central roads.

Both the European Union and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have expressed strong interest in financing T3. However, their involvement hinges on meeting strict technical, environmental, and social prerequisites—such as land compensations, impact assessments, and finalizing resettlement action plans. Ashoka Buildcon’s integrated proposal could provide additional flexibility to address these requirements.

Yet, key uncertainties remain. The precise legal framework for the contract, financial terms, potential state guarantees, and how the Indian firm’s proposal aligns with existing European financing for T3 are still unresolved. A hybrid model combining concessional European funding with Indian involvement in other sections remains a plausible path forward.

Ashoka Buildcon: a diversified Indian infrastructure giant

Ashoka Buildcon Limited ranks among India’s leading infrastructure developers, specializing in roads alongside energy, rail, and building projects. The company operates across multiple models, including EPC, public-private partnerships, Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), and the Hybrid Annuity Model—a financing mechanism where the government covers part of the investment while the operator repays the balance via annuities.

For Cameroonian authorities, the appeal lies in Ashoka Buildcon’s ability to bundle engineering, execution, and financing into a single proposal. However, no final decision has been made. The submission appears to be an early expression of interest, as the project—though technically mature—still faces financial hurdles. For Yaoundé, transforming years of planning into on-the-ground progress will be the ultimate test. Industry observers note that the Indian firm’s move coincides with ongoing efforts to secure additional partners for the initiative.