SHELTER AFRICA : Cameroonian Sandie Handou Appointed Secretary General

(LVDE) — A new recognition of Cameroonian expertise on the continental stage, Sandie Handou has assumed the leadership of Shelter Africa, the development bank dedicated to financing housing and urban development across Africa. Her mission: turn commitments into tangible projects and tackle the massive housing deficit in the CEMAC subregion.

Africa now celebrates a new symbol of local competence: Sandie Handou, an experienced lawyer and public affairs specialist, has been appointed Secretary General of Shelter Africa. The institution, a key player in housing finance and urban development, is relying on her leadership to accelerate the implementation of critical projects and strengthen its impact across member countries.

Sandie Handou’s career reflects a rigorous and international trajectory. After nearly a decade at Diageo, the British beverage giant, she oversaw legal and corporate secretarial functions across 22 countries in West and Central Africa, later extending her responsibilities to West, Central Africa, and the Indian Ocean region. Between 2019 and 2020, she led the Public Affairs department for the region from Abidjan. Her legal expertise also extends to Cameroon’s industrial sector, having worked at Cimencam and LafargeHolcim Maroc Afrique before joining Shelter Africa.

One of the most urgent items on her agenda concerns Cameroon. In March 2021, Shelter Africa signed an agreement with the Ministry of Housing to construct 3,000 affordable homes in Yaoundé and Douala, a crucial initiative given the national deficit estimated at 2.5 million units. Implementation has so far been slow, and Sandie Handou could play a key role in removing administrative and financial obstacles to jumpstart the program.

The Central African Republic is also a strategic priority. In July 2025, Shelter Africa committed to financing 300 social housing units in Bossangoa with a total budget of $28 million (around 16 billion FCFA). For a country facing a housing need exceeding one million units, the pilot phase must start quickly to build confidence and launch a sustainable development cycle.

In Gabon, the new Secretary General will oversee the establishment of a Mortgage Refinancing Fund, an initiative first announced in 2024 and revived in 2025. This mechanism is expected to facilitate access to housing credit and stimulate the local construction market, while consolidating Shelter Africa’s role as a central housing partner in the region.

Sandie Handou will need to combine diplomacy, financial expertise, and strategic vision. “The goal is to turn principled commitments into concrete actions on the ground,” says a source close to the institution. Across the CEMAC countries and beyond, her arrival has generated high expectations. With the housing deficit persisting, her mission is clear: channel financing into tangible projects, accelerate the production of social housing, and support urban development across the continent.

With her appointment, Cameroon strengthens its presence in African economic and social decision-making bodies, while Shelter Africa counts on her leadership to boost housing access and address major urban development challenges in the region.

Tressy Chouente