Boosting country’s industrial fabric: PM launches construction of 580B FCFA pharmaceutical plant in Y’de.

Dion Ngute laid the foundation stone Friday October 3 on behalf of President of the Republic, Paul Biya. The project to be realised in three phases, will be carried out by the Chinese Yicheng Pharmaceutical Group Fabrication company.

Members of government, administrative, municipal, traditional and religious authorities and the population attended the event. 

The Head of Government said the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need to develop a strong national pharmaceutical industry.

He said the government, in collaboration with its public and private partners, has opted to support the establishment of the industrial unit. Dion Ngute said it significantly contribute to reducing Cameroon’s dependence and export bill. 

“The importance of this project is evident in its multiple benefits, including improved availability and accessibility of care, a substantial reduction in imports of medicines and medical devices, lower costs for the supply of essential medicines, the strengthening of the local industrial fabric with prospects for sub-regional exports, technology transfer and the development of national human resources skills, as well as the direct creation of several skilled jobs from the first phase of the project,” Dion Ngute said.

The Prime Minister delivered President Biya’s message of gratitude to the Yicheng Pharmaceutical Group Manufacturing for choosing Cameroon for the investment.

He stated that the investment, which includes a component of constructing a state-of-the-art hospital, will enhance the local healthcare. 

Dion Ngute also praised the Group for its “strategic foresight in investing in such a vital sector as healthcare, the economic benefits of which are clear and undeniable in our environment”.

The Prime Minister reassured the investors of government’s commitment to supporting the implementation of the promising initiative. 

‘Powerful driver of inclusive growth’

Going by the PM, the future industrial plant is already shaping up to be “a powerful driver of inclusive growth”, capable of boosting the entire value chain, from the production of raw materials to the distribution of essential medicines.

He tasked the relevant sectoral administrations to redouble efforts to finalise the outstanding procedures and to consolidate the rotating options at the technical level.

The Premier equally used the opportunity to remind the Chinese Ambassador and other partners present that Cameroon remains resolutely open and willing to welcome any investor.

“Our territory is brimming with business opportunities in a variety of sectors that are just waiting to be developed in an attractive environment offering first-rate competitive advantages,” he re-echoed. 

The multi-billion project led by the Yicheng company, he insisted, is part of the drive spearheaded by the Head of State to modernise and consolidate the healthcare system of the nation.

Enter Project Leader

According to the Project Leader, Mbe Idriss Confiance, the project was inspired by the successive health crises, notably the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19, Mbe said, revealed the structural weaknesses of African health systems and its heavy dependence on imported pharmaceutical products.

More than 90% of the medicines consumed in Cameroon, Mbe said, still come from abroad. The situation, he said, exposes the population to supply shortages, high costs and even products of dubious quality.

The plant, he said, aims to “…contribute to the country's health sovereignty and economic development through the local production of safe, effective and, above all, high-quality essential medicines and medical devices…”.

The project, he assured, will also promote technology transfer and local capacity building, stimulate pharmaceutical research and innovation, and create direct and indirect jobs for young graduates and technicians.

Mbe explained that the project to be realized on a five-hectare surface area will have an annual production capacity of 100 million vials, two billion ampoules, 10 billion tablets, 100 references of medicines and medical devices in six dosage forms.

He said the generic drugs will be used for antimalarials, antibiotics, analgesics, anti-inflammatories and other drugs targeting treatment of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, diabetes, hypertension amongst others. 

Key components

The pilot phase of the project to last for a period of 15 months, with planned commissioning in January 2027, he said, will be worth 30 billion FCFA for the construction of the pharmaceutical production plant.

The second phase, worth 250 billion FCFA investment, he explained, will focus on the construction of the state-of-the-art hospital complex and industrial expansion of the Yicheng factory. He said it is expected to commence in September 2027 to last 2029.

About the third phase, with an estimated cost of 300 billion FCFA, Mbe said, it will be keen on sub-regional expansion in the CEMAC zone. 

This he said, will see the development of a network of large pharmacies and creation of a research and development centre. He said the phase has been previewed to last for 48 months, that’s from 2031 to 2035. 

Bountiful opportunities for youths

The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Yicheng Group, Qiu Jianyin, revealed that upon the completion, Cameroon will be positioned as a credible pharmaceutical player in the sub-region.

The CEO also mentioned that over 1,000 direct jobs will be created with Cameroonians employed as pharmacists, engineers, technicians, administrative staff.

He added that 3,000 more jobs will be created indirectly with opportunities transport, distribution, and maintenance sector. 

In a bid to train the next generation of scientists, Qui said his company intends to establish strategic university-industry partnerships with opportunities for internships.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3586 of Monday October 06, 2025