Timbuktu Institute – Week 4 - January 2026

The conflict pits Finance Minister Louis Paul Motazé against Cyrus Ngo'o, Director General of the Port Authority of Douala (PAD). The bone of contention is the legality of the contract for scanning goods at the port of Douala-Bonabéri. Signed in 2015 with the Swiss company SGS, the contract covers the inspection and certification of containers at the port, an important source of revenue for the state. In fact, in 2025, the PAD approved the arrival of a new operator, Transatlantic D SA. However, the Ministry of Finance rejects this new operation, arguing that the contract with SGS remains fully valid. This has led to an open battle between the two parties, who are sticking stubbornly to their positions. According to Jeune Afrique, a confidential document dated January 26 and signed by President Paul Biya's chief of staff indicates that the latter has opted for the departure of the Swiss company SGS. To what extent could this be decisive? In any case, after convening a meeting between the two parties on January 29, Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute seems to be going against this measure. In fact, he has reportedly sided with Louis Paul Motaze, believing that the Swiss company SGS's contract should be maintained. In this context, the crisis seems to go beyond a simple administrative dispute. It cannot be ruled out that it is the scene of a power struggle at the top of the state, where institutional decisions seem to be dictated by the balance of power between rival factions rather than by clear procedures. Furthermore, broader questions arise about the transparency of public contracts and the state's ability to ensure legal stability in a major economic sector.

Towards a postponement of the legislative and municipal elections?

First, it should be noted that the terms of office of the current deputies and councilors, which were supposed to expire in 2025, were extended in 2024 until March 30, 2026, and May 31, 2026, respectively. However, despite this extension, some leaders of the ruling party—the RDPC—want to a further postponement. "There are a number of us at a high level in the party hierarchy who are clearly in favor of postponing the legislative and municipal elections. This will give us time to better prepare for these elections," explained Jean Nkuete, a party official. However, according to rumors reported by RFI, this move is more of a tactical maneuver. Indeed, this desire for postponement seems to be closely linked to Paul Biya's victory margin (53.66%) in the recent presidential election, his lowest since 1997. It could therefore be a desire to retreat in order to strengthen the party's political weight at the local level, which seems to have expressed a relative rejection of Biya at the polls. In short, is this an institutional constraint or a political calculation? In any case, this sequence is at the very least a sign of a certain weakening of Biya's electoral hold. It could also reflect a phase of strategic adjustment by a regime that is clearly concerned with rebuilding its political power base at both the national and local levels.