Cameroun builds energy accounting system for smarter policies

Yaoundé advances energy data framework to guide sustainable development

Yaoundé — The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), through its Central Africa sub-regional office and the African Centre for Statistics, is providing technical expertise to Cameroon to develop a comprehensive energy accounting system. This initiative is being carried out in collaboration with Cameroon’s National Institute of Statistics (INS) and the World Bank under the HISWACA project, with an intensive workshop currently underway in Douala from June 22 to 26, 2026.

The workshop brings together key government institutions, energy sector agencies, and technical and financial partners to jointly assess available data and define the technical, methodological, and institutional requirements needed to compile energy accounts in line with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA). This internationally recognized statistical framework, adopted by the United Nations, enables countries to measure the complex relationships between energy use, economic activity, and environmental impact.

How energy accounting transforms policy decisions

Energy accounts serve as a modern statistical tool that links data on energy extraction, production, transformation, consumption, and trade with national economic activities and environmental emissions. This integrated approach answers critical policy questions: How much energy does the country produce? Which sectors consume the most energy? How is energy transformed and utilized? What is its contribution to economic growth? How do energy policies affect job creation and greenhouse gas emissions? These insights are vital for guiding investments in the country’s energy transition.

As Cameroon faces rising energy demand, growing security concerns, and climate challenges, reliable and integrated energy statistics are becoming indispensable for evidence-based policymaking and investment planning.

Aligning with national and global development goals

The development of energy accounts is fully aligned with Cameroon’s Vision 2035 and the National Development Strategy 2020–2030 (SND30), both of which prioritize structural transformation, sustainable industrialization, and energy transition. Additionally, these accounts will support progress tracking toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to affordable and clean energy, climate action, and sustainable resource management.

Beyond statistical value, the energy accounts will provide Cameroon with a robust framework to evaluate the effectiveness of energy policies, strengthen coordination between economic planning and natural resource management, and integrate environmental considerations into public decision-making.

Key outcomes of the Douala workshop

The workshop in Douala marks a pivotal step in the energy accounting process. Participants are working to identify user needs, assess existing data gaps, and design a practical roadmap for compiling future energy accounts. This initiative is part of the National Plan for Environmental and Economic Accounting (PNDEAE), adopted by the Cameroonian government in 2023 as a strategic reference for implementing the SEEA system.

The PNDEAE highlights energy accounting as a priority area for operationalizing environmental and economic accounting in Cameroon. Through this effort, the UNECA is supporting the government in reinforcing national statistical capacity and advancing environmental-economic accounting, including methodological guidance aligned with international standards, specialized expertise—including support from the UK’s Office for National Statistics—and ongoing technical assistance throughout the compilation process.