KRIBI DEEP SEAPORT : Yves Roger Melingui Takes the Helm of the Kribi Port Industrial Zone (KPIZ)
La voix des entreprises 
Yves Roger Melingui, Chief Executive Officer of the Kribi Port Industrial Zone (KPIZ)
(LVDE) — The Kribi Port Industrial Zone (KPIZ), a flagship pillar of Cameroon’s industrialization policy, is entering a new phase with the appointment of Yves Roger Melingui as its Chief Executive Officer. Backed by a total investment of CFA 521 billion, the project aims to transform the Kribi Deep Seaport into a regional industrial platform capable of hosting high value-added production units for Cameroon and Central Africa.
Cameroon’s industrial drive gains further momentum with the designation of Yves Roger Melingui as head of KPIZ, the company responsible for developing this integrated economic zone. The decision was formalized on February 26, 2026, in Yaoundé during the project’s General Assembly and Board of Directors meeting. The initiative is valued at €795 million, equivalent to approximately CFA 521.485 billion.
A graduate of the Universities of Angers and EDHEC Business School in Europe, Melingui brings solid expertise in public-private partnerships and financial analysis. After nearly a decade serving as Technical Advisor at the Kribi Autonomous Port, he now assumes responsibility for steering one of the country’s most ambitious industrial projects. His mandate will focus on accelerating infrastructure deployment and strengthening the site’s attractiveness to international investors.
KPIZ spans nearly 4,000 hectares and is designed to host industrial processing units linked to the Kribi Deep Seaport, Cameroon’s main maritime gateway and a key trade corridor for landlocked countries in the sub-region, notably Chad, the Central African Republic, and northern Congo. Targeted sectors include agro-industry, textiles, metallurgy, wood processing, industrial fishing, and fast-moving consumer goods. The project aligns with the National Development Strategy 2030, which prioritizes the industrialization of local value chains and the creation of sustainable jobs.
The project’s financing structure is built around a consortium of international investors comprising Africa Global Logistics (a subsidiary of Mediterranean Shipping Company – MSC), Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP), and Belmont Investments, the holding company of Cameroonian business operator Colin Mukete. The first construction phase, estimated at €400 million, is supported by the African Development Bank, the European Union through the Global Gateway program, and the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group.
Beyond the financial stakes, this appointment reflects a broader effort to strengthen governance in major public projects and to increase the involvement of young executives in the strategic management of state-linked enterprises. Authorities are counting on KPIZ to stimulate industrial growth, boost intra-African trade, and consolidate Cameroon’s position as a leading regional logistics hub.
In the medium term, the project is expected to generate several thousand direct and indirect jobs, while contributing to the diversification of the national economy and advancing Central Africa’s economic integration.
Tressy Chouente
À propos de l'auteur
