IFC Weighs €7.5M Loan for Catramp’s Regional Expansion
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The International Finance Corporation is reviewing a €7.5 million loan request from Camerounaise de Transactions Maritimes et Portuaires (Catramp) to finance regional expansion and infrastructure upgrades. The proposal, slated for IFC Board review on December 15, would support entry into Chad and the Central African Republic and improvements at Catramp’s Douala and Kribi sites. The €10.1 million plan combines IFC debt with shareholder equity and risk-sharing via the IDA Private Sector Window.
IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, is assessing Catramp’s financing to scale Grade A warehousing capacity in Cameroon and neighboring markets. The project targets a documented shortage of modern storage in Chad and the CAR, aiming to improve conditions for local businesses, exporters, and port operators linked to the Douala–Ndjamena and Douala–Bangui corridors.
Total project cost is €10.1 million, with €2.6 million provided by shareholders. Ownership remains concentrated, with Justin Talom holding 85% (including 15% via T’s Corporation) and Jean Kuate holding 15%. The transaction is expected to benefit from the International Development Association’s Private Sector Window hybrid finance mechanism, which offers a first-loss guarantee to catalyze investment in low-income markets.
Catramp plans to create jobs, source from local suppliers, and expand workforce training to meet rising logistics standards. The company’s upgrades in Douala and Kribi are intended to streamline throughput, reduce handling times, and support regional trade flows.
Ahead of the December 15 review, IFC completed an environmental and social due diligence, including site visits to Catramp facilities and consultations with partners such as Dino & Fils, a wood processing firm. Catramp has committed to a Stakeholder Engagement Plan featuring community mapping and a grievance mechanism to mitigate adverse impacts and enhance transparency.
If approved, the financing could strengthen Central Africa’s logistics backbone, easing bottlenecks that elevate costs for traders in landlocked markets. Modern warehousing tied to Cameroon’s ports would improve inventory management, reduce spoilage, and support value-added services, creating opportunities for third-party logistics providers, cold-chain operators, and local SMEs in construction and equipment supply. The use of IDA’s risk-sharing window also signals a pipeline for blended finance solutions in frontier markets, potentially crowding in additional private capital.
IFC’s decision on December 15 will shape the timeline for Catramp’s expansion and facility upgrades. A green light would accelerate warehouse capacity improvements and training initiatives, advancing trade facilitation across Cameroon, Chad, and the CAR.
