By Monica Eboh, Akama
Tiko will start manufacturing car tyres in 2025. Prof. Fuh Calistus Gentry, the Minister of Mines, inaugurated the initial stage of the factory located near the Tiko tollgate last week.
According to the Minister the factory will use rubber from the CDC as its main raw material.
There were also plan to ensure sustainability of rubber supplies to the factory. Some 200 natural rubber experts discussed these issues at a two-day International Rubber Forum on African Rubber Development and the 40th Assembly of the International Rubber Study Group organized in Limbe last week. The workshop brought together prominent rubber industrialists and dealers from, Thailand, Kuola Lumpur and the U.K.
Reaffirming government’s commitment to industrial development and economic growth, Minister Fuh Gentry announced that the tyre plant will begin effectively in 2025 with location in Tiko.
Local rubber from the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) will be used to produce tyres. This initiative aligns with the government’s import-substitution strategy and aims to create jobs and stimulate local economic growth. Besides the tyre plant, the Minister highlighted the PRISTINE SASU project, a CFA 32 billion investment in Tiko, which will produce mineral water, carbonated drinks, and dairy products. The project is expected to create 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, contributing significantly to the region’s socio-economic development.
This initiative aims to promote decentralized industrialization, leveraging regional resources and expertise. He indicated that recent decrees provide tax benefits for investors in economic disaster areas, including the Southwest Region. These incentives are designed to attract investment, stimulate growth, and support the region’s recovery.
Concerning energy, he stated that progress has been made, including the signing of agreements for cross-border oil and gas fields and the imminent exploitation of the Étindé gas field. These initiatives will provide a sustainable energy supply, driving industrial growth and development.
