Cameroon-Algeria trade ties strengthen with strategic investments
Cameroon and Algeria are deepening their economic ties, marked by a series of high-level meetings and strategic investments in key sectors. A recent working session between Cameroon’s Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, and Algeria’s Ambassador to Cameroon, Abdallah Boukemmache, highlighted the growing momentum in bilateral cooperation.
During the meeting, the Algerian delegation, led by Abdel Khemane, CEO of MADAR Holding—Algeria’s second-largest state-owned economic group—outlined plans to expand commercial exchanges, particularly in agro-industry. With over 6,000 employees across 11 sectors and 14 subsidiaries, MADAR Holding is already a major player in tobacco, automotive, and spare parts, while being Algeria’s top importer of bananas and coffee.
Expanding economic horizons with targeted partnerships
Abdel Khemane emphasized the Holding’s commitment to fostering South-South cooperation, noting that his organization aims to import Cameroonian products like bananas and coffee while also investing in local processing facilities. “My mission in Cameroon is to explore ways to collaborate with local businesses, focusing on importing key Cameroonian products and making substantial investments in these sectors,” he stated. The Algerian delegation also expressed interest in expanding into cocoa and cotton, two pillars of Cameroon’s economy, where MADAR Holding is prepared to both import and process these commodities locally.
The Algerian Embassy’s announcement of over 15 ongoing agreements further underscores the depth of these negotiations, with a focus on boosting trade flows rather than traditional export-import models. Already, trade indicators reflect this shift: weekly flights between Algiers and Douala have increased to four, Algerian consular services in Yaoundé are issuing more than 150% more visas, and Cameroonian exports to Algeria surged by over 107% between 2023 and 2024.
Next steps: concrete actions and future opportunities
Following the high-level discussions, two key meetings are scheduled in Douala on July 9, 2026. These sessions will bring together Algerian representatives with the National Cocoa and Coffee Board (ONCC) and the Interprofessional Cocoa and Coffee Council (CICC) to finalize export arrangements. Simultaneously, discussions with the Haut Penja Plantations (PHP) will focus on accelerating banana trade initiatives, with the Algerian side pushing for immediate operationalization of these exports.
The upcoming 5th session of the Cameroon-Algeria Joint Economic Cooperation Commission in Yaoundé will serve as a pivotal platform to solidify these agreements. Additionally, an upcoming business forum in Cameroon, led by Algeria’s top business leaders, is set to mobilize a high-powered Algerian delegation, further cementing the commitment to turn bilateral intentions into tangible economic outcomes.
The evolving trade relationship between Cameroon and Algeria signals a strategic pivot toward deeper integration, leveraging Cameroon’s agricultural strengths and Algeria’s investment capacity to create mutual growth opportunities in West and Central Africa.
