From new waste collection points and trucks to street sweepers and a proposed law on urban cleanliness, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is multiplying initiatives to improve waste management. On the ground, however, illegal dumping remains visible in several parts of Cameroon’s cities.
The fight against urban waste is entering a new phase in Cameroon. Since the General States on Urban Waste Management held in May 2025, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development MINHDU has been implementing a roadmap aimed at making waste management more structured, better equipped and more sustainable.
More infrastructure, more equipment
In Yaounde, more than eleven waste collection points have been constructed since 2025 to reduce illegal dumping along roads and in residential areas. The ministry plans to build 77 additional collection points under the 2026 Public Investment Budget and the PCADY project, financed by the African Development Bank. Construction of the facilities planned under the 2026 budget has already started in Yaoundé, while work is expected to begin soon in Mbouda, Kumba, Foumbot and Douala.
The ministry has also launched the construction of the Simbock Waste Transfer Center in Yaounde VI. The facility is intended to strengthen the transfer stage of the waste management chain and improve the organization of collection.
Municipalities are also being equipped. Mechanical street sweepers have been handed over to Yaounde I and Yaounde V, Douala III and the Douala City Council. Four additional sweepers have been ordered, with a gradual expansion of equipment to other cities planned.
Seven 20-ton waste trucks have also been allocated to Yaoundé’s seven district municipalities through PCADY. In addition, MINHDU is supporting pilot initiatives producing paving stones from plastic waste and has provided hygiene and sanitation equipment to civil society organizations and neighborhood committees.
From infrastructure to citizen awareness
The ministry’s strategy also targets behavior. Through the Urban Platform Project in Cameroon, funded by the European Union, MINHDU has supported awareness and practical training on household waste management.
In Yaounde V, workshops on waste management were followed by a campaign officially launched in December 2025, including the distribution of educational materials promoting selective sorting and organic waste recovery in schools.
A guide and educational booklet on household waste management have also been distributed, while the 2026 Clean Cities Competition has been launched nationwide to encourage communities to adopt better sanitation practices.
At the regulatory level, Cameroon is also moving towards a new framework for urban cleanliness. The National Policy and National Strategy for Hygiene, Sanitation and Household Waste Management were validated in 2026. MINHDU has also prepared a draft law on urban cleanliness intended to clarify
responsibilities, sanctions and financing mechanisms.
On the ground, the challenge remains
But the multiplication of projects does not automatically translate into spotless streets.
In several neighborhoods of Yaounde, waste can still be found along roadsides, around markets and in drainage channels. Where collection points exist, their effectiveness depends not only on their availability but also on regular waste evacuation and residents’ willingness to use them.
In some areas, residents continue to dispose of household waste in open spaces or drainage channels. During periods of heavy rain, accumulated waste can obstruct water flow, while stagnant water and decomposing organic matter create conditions favorable to the proliferation of insects and other disease vectors.
For residents, the issue is therefore not simply whether new equipment has been provided, but whether waste is collected regularly and whether the system works from the household to the final disposal site.
Turning investment into visible change
This is where the next phase of the ministry’s roadmap will be crucial. MINHDU is preparing a National Program for the Construction of Urban Waste Management Infrastructure, while a meeting with development partners is scheduled for September 2026.
The objective is to extend the infrastructure already being developed and strengthen the entire waste management chain. But the success of these efforts will ultimately be measured beyond administrative reports and newly delivered equipment: it will be seen in neighborhoods, markets and streets where residents expect one thing above all; cleaner and healthier living environments.
