The population of Bamenda has heralded the commissioning of Bamenda’s new liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) plant as a transformative infrastructure project. They hold that it will liberate the Northwest region from its dependency on external supply and deliver substantial price reductions directly to local households.
Speaking at the official opening of the state-of-the-art facility in Bamendakwe on 12 December, Okie Johnson Ndoh, the Director-General of the Hydrocarbons Price Stabilisation Fund (HPSF), emphasised the strategic imperative of situating major supply infrastructure within the region. For years, households in Bamenda and its environs have grappled with erratic supply and high costs, driven by lengthy and vulnerable logistics chains transporting cylinders from distant coastal depots. These constraints frequently led to shortages and inflated market prices, burdening family budgets and limiting access to cleaner cooking energy.
“This plant is a game-changer,” stated Johnson. “By bringing a major filling centre directly to Bamenda, we are cutting out the costly and insecure logistics that have plagued this region. Gas is now readily available here, on demand, at a stabilised price. This is about energy security and affordability for the people of the Northwest.”
The direct and most immediate benefit for consumers is a sharp reduction in the retail price. Thanks to subsidies from the HPSF, the cost of a standard 12.5 kg gas cylinder has dropped from 8,000 CFA francs to 6,500 CFA francs—a saving Johnson directly linked to the new plant’s operational efficiencies and reduced transport costs.
The ultra-modern, fully automated facility, constructed by the HPSF and operated in partnership with the Cameroon Petroleum Depot Company (SCDP), boasts a 200-metric-tonne storage capacity. Its 12-station carousel can fill up to 650 cylinders per hour, a capacity designed to decisively end the chronic shortages previously experienced.
The Bamenda plant represents a key pillar in a broader national drive to secure domestic energy supplies. It follows the commissioning of similar plants in Maroua and Bertoua, with projects underway in Ebolowa and Kumba, reflecting a concerted policy to reduce regional disparities and ensure reliable, affordable LPG access across Cameroon.
