Cameroon’s Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Basile Atangana Kouna, will deliver the opening keynote address of the iPAD Cameroon Energy Infrastructure Forum, which is returning to Yaoundé from 10-11 November.
Last year’s inaugural event, Joel Nana Kontchou, CEO of ENEO Cameroon, the country’s state utility, said iPAD Cameroon had gathered very serious partners and investors and “had proved to be a great platform for dialogue and discussions between the various actors in our sector”.
Enormous opportunity for PPPs
“Cameroon has established itself as a main actor in the region for infrastructure development, as the most prosperous economy in CEMAC, the Central African Economic and Monetary Community,” says Elodie Delagneau, iPAD Cameroon event director.
“The demand for electricity increases by 7-8 per cent every year and investment in power infrastructure will therefore require a growth in public private partnerships. This presents an enormous opportunity for government, utilities, developers, investors and financing institutions to gather and set out policies”.
“Cameroon’s electricity production capacity of 12 000 MW places it third behind DRC and Ethiopia on the continent. Currently it produces just under 7500 MW from its hydro energy sources. Moreover, a renewable energy policy is being prepared with the aim of increasing the share of renewables and heat generation and involving private capital.” She adds
To unpack the opportunities and address the challenges in the sector, iPAD Cameroon is expected to gather more than 160 local, regional and global power professionals for valuable CEO roundtable and a strategic, two-day conference.
Industry support
The industry support for iPAD Cameroon continues this year with Globeleq, a successful private investor in the country’s power sector, also returning as the event’s exclusive diamond sponsor next month.
General Electric and Siemens have also confirmed their gold sponsorships. Clarke Energy are silver sponsors and BG, Goltens, EDF, Kafue Gorge, KMPG, Powersys, STEG- IS, Voith Hydro and Wartsila are bronze sponsors.
iPAD Cameroon is organised by Spintelligent, leading Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser, and the African office of Clarion Events Ltd, based in the UK. Other flagship events in Spintelligent’s power portfolio on the continent are African Utility Week, the West African Power Industry Convention (WAPIC), East African Power Industry Convention (EAPIC) and iPAD Rwanda Energy Infrastructure Forum.