The Société nationale des mines du Cameroun (SONAMINES) aims to start producing limestone from its own mines by the end of 2026, its managing director, Serge Hervé Boyogueno, announced at African Mining Week.
Cameroon currently has nine cement manufacturing plants, most of which rely on limestone imported from neighbouring countries. Only a tiny proportion of this resource comes from local deposits. The national production project aims to boost domestic supply and limit dependence on imports.
According to Serge Hervé Boyogueno, this initiative is part of a wider strategy to diversify and develop Cameroon's mining industry. The aim is to stimulate job creation and accelerate economic growth.
"The contribution of the mining sector is still relatively small, even though we have considerable mineral resources, as most industrial projects are still in the exploration phase," said Boyogueno, "Gold remains our most actively mined resource, mainly through small-scale operations, but our aim is to extend industrial exploration and production to multiple minerals."
Alongside the limestone project, SONAMINES is seeking investment partnerships for its exploration licences for rutile, gold, bauxite and three iron ores. These initiatives are aimed at strengthening Cameroon's position on the African mineral map and attracting capital to develop these resources.
The country has produced 600kg of gold over the last two years, and is aiming to produce 210kg in 2025 and 2026. These figures reflect Cameroon's determination to increase its mining potential and optimise the exploitation of its natural resources to promote sustainable economic development.
