Cameroon launches major tender for 60,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas

The market for domestic gas in Cameroon is undergoing a significant expansion with the launch of a competitive tender on September 1, 2026, for 60,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). This initiative, formally endorsed by Okie Johnson Ndoh, who chairs the ad hoc Commission for Petroleum Product Imports (CIPP), divides the total volume into two distinct lots: one for 35,000 tonnes and another for 25,000 tonnes. The official objective of this operation is to meet the country’s consumption requirements for the 2026 fiscal year.

Interested parties can obtain application documents from the headquarters of the Hydrocarbon Price Stabilization Fund (CSPH), located at the Warda roundabout in Yaoundé. The crucial bid opening and award ceremony are scheduled for September 8, at noon, within the same premises. At this preliminary stage, precise details regarding the projected market value, the origin of the products, or the specific transportation arrangements have not yet been disclosed. These vital parameters will emerge following a thorough technical evaluation of the submitted proposals.

A volume equivalent to nearly five months of foreign purchases

When viewed against recent trade flows, the sheer scale of this procurement operation is considerable. A report on the Cameroonian economy in 2025, issued by the Ministry of Economy, Planning, and Regional Development (MINEPAT) and drawing on statistics from the Directorate General of Customs, reveals that Cameroon imported 150,420 tonnes of liquefied butanes last year. This figure represents an increase from the 145,163 tonnes imported in 2024, marking a 3.6% year-on-year growth. This steady rise in demand reflects the nation’s ongoing urbanization and the increasing shift away from wood-energy sources.

Despite the increased volume, the customs bill actually saw a reduction, decreasing from 59.38 billion to 56.159 billion FCFA, a decline of 5.4%. This favorable shift is primarily attributable to a softening of average import prices. Within this context, the 60,000 tonnes currently sought represent a substantial 39.9% of the total volume acquired in 2025, which is roughly equivalent to nearly five months of average monthly consumption. Translated into commercial units, this tonnage could fill approximately 4.8 million 12.5 kg gas cylinders. Based on an average customs value of around 373,348 FCFA per tonne last year, the theoretical value of this market could reach approximately 22.4 billion FCFA, though the final price will ultimately depend on the specific terms and negotiated delivery conditions.

Bipaga: a local buffer with limited capacity

Cameroon does possess a national production capability through the Bipaga gas treatment center, situated in the Southern region and commissioned in 2018. The 2023 annual report from the National Hydrocarbons Corporation (SNH) indicates that 34,699 tonnes were delivered from Bipaga that year, an increase from 28,677 tonnes in 2022. This 21% growth marked the facility’s second-best performance since its inception. However, these domestic volumes remain structurally insufficient to fully satisfy the country’s internal demand.

In July 2026, SNH confirmed its plan for Bipaga to maintain an annual LPG output of approximately 30,000 tonnes, even with the cessation of operations at the floating unit Hilli Episeyo. This production floor is still significantly below the 150,420 tonnes imported in 2025. This persistent disparity highlights the Cameroonian market’s vulnerability to external shocks, whether logistical or price-related, thereby justifying the frequent tenders launched by the CSPH to ensure consistent supply security.

An issue of energy security and price stability

The tender initiated on September 1, 2026, therefore pursues two interconnected objectives. Firstly, it aims to proactively eliminate any risk of supply disruption during the final quarter of 2026, particularly critical in a nation where butane gas serves as the primary urban domestic fuel. Secondly, authorities are striving to contain the budgetary exposure associated with the implicit subsidy on bottle prices, a long-standing financial burden on public accounts managed through the CSPH’s stabilization mechanism.

In practical terms, the true scope of this market — including its ultimate cost, delivery timeline, and impact on strategic reserves — will only be fully understood once the adjudication process concludes on September 8. The composition of the successful bids will also provide insight into whether the executive government intends to prioritize existing operators within the Cameroonian market or open the field to new international traders.