Yaoundé, June 22, 2026 – The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), through its Central Africa sub-regional office and the African Centre for Statistics, is providing technical support to Cameroon to develop its energy accounts. This initiative is being carried out in collaboration with Cameroon’s National Institute of Statistics (INS) and the World Bank under the HISWACA project.
A technical workshop is being held in Douala from June 22 to 26, 2026, bringing together key government institutions, energy sector specialists, and technical and financial partners. The goal is to jointly identify available energy data and assess the technical, methodological, and institutional requirements needed to establish energy accounts in line with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA). This internationally recognized statistical framework, adopted by the United Nations, measures the interactions between the economy and the environment.
Why energy accounts matter
Energy accounts are a modern statistical tool that bridges energy data—covering extraction, production, transformation, consumption, and trade—with economic activities and environmental impacts. This integrated approach provides a clearer picture of how energy, the economy, and the environment interconnect.
With this tool, policymakers can address critical 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 employment, GDP growth, and greenhouse gas emissions? Energy accounts also play a key role in guiding investment decisions for Cameroon’s energy transition.
A strategic response to growing energy needs
In today’s context of rising energy demand, energy security concerns, and climate change challenges, reliable and integrated energy statistics are essential for evidence-based policymaking and investment planning. Developing energy accounts aligns with Cameroon’s Vision 2035 and the National Development Strategy 2020–2030 (SND30), which prioritize structural transformation, sustainable industrialization, and energy transition.
These accounts will also support progress tracking toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to affordable and clean energy, climate action, and sustainable resource management.
Strengthening policy coherence and environmental integration
Beyond their statistical value, energy accounts will give Cameroon a robust framework to evaluate the effectiveness of energy policies, enhance coordination between economic planning and natural resource management, and better incorporate environmental considerations into public decision-making.
Next steps in Douala
The Douala workshop is a pivotal step in the energy account development process. Its objectives include identifying user needs, assessing available data, identifying gaps, and defining a clear operational 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 the guiding framework for implementing environmental and economic accounting. The PNDEAE identifies energy accounting as a priority area for operational deployment in the country.
Through this effort, the UNECA continues to support Cameroon in strengthening its national statistical capacity and advancing environmental and economic accounting. The support includes methodological guidance aligned with international standards, specialized expertise—including from the United Kingdom’s Office for National Statistics—and ongoing technical assistance throughout the energy account development process.
