A Strategic Pharmaceutical Hub
A new chapter in Sino-Cameroonian cooperation is being written. The $948.7 million Yicheng Pharmaceutical Group Fabrication Co. Ltd. plant is set to reshape Cameroon’s pharmaceutical landscape.
The foundation stone was laid on 3 October in Meyo on the outskirts of Yaoundé, during a colourful ceremony attended by Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute and other senior officials. Spearheaded by China’s Yicheng, the initiative underscores the growing partnership between Chinese and Cameroonian business leaders. This milestone, achieved through collaboration between Chinese and Cameroonian business leaders, is largely driven by Yicheng.
The project stems from a Sino-Cameroonian joint venture led by Idriss Confiance Mbe, a young Cameroonian entrepreneur whose ambition helped to bring it to life. The pharmaceutical plant in Meyo ranks among Cameroon’s most ambitious undertakings, designed to bolster health care sovereignty both nationally and across the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) subregion. The project will be rolled out in three phases, with Yicheng committing around $70 million to the first phase.
High production, employment
Yicheng aims to meet both local and subregional demand within the CEMAC area. The Chinese consortium is planning an annual output of approximately 9 billion tablets, 1.2 billion ampoules, 105 million injectable vials, and 150 million bottles of syrup. The initial phase will provide employment to over 350 people, with more than 1,000 direct jobs envisaged in the long term. This represents an undeniable economic asset, with positive repercussions anticipated not only for Cameroon, but also for neighbouring countries within the subregion.
The project also features an educational component through training partnerships between the factory and Cameroonian universities. This collaborative approach is designed to foster a new generation of local professionals in the pharmaceutical sector and to strengthen national capacities in public health sustainably.
Yicheng in Africa
Yicheng was founded in 1993 in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China, by entrepreneur Li Jianhua, with the aim of serving both domestic and international markets. Over the years, Yicheng has grown into one of China’s leading pharmaceutical companies.
The group has invested in multiple pharmaceutical projects across Africa, particularly in Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa. Through these initiatives, Yicheng has built partnerships with African governments and businesses, significantly improving access to essential medicines. The company has also developed products tailored to African markets, including treatments for malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.
During his speech, Prime Minister Ngute underscored the strategic importance of the Meyo project for Cameroon’s health sovereignty and that of the wider CEMAC subregion. “This project represents a turning point towards a more competitive and sovereign local value chain, reducing dependence on drug imports and improving access to essential health products,” he said.
Mbe added: “The establishment of Yicheng in Meyo is a landmark initiative for Cameroon, aimed at strengthening the country’s and the CEMAC subregion’s health sovereignty.”
Through this major investment, Yicheng is establishing a strong presence in Cameroon and the broader Central African subregion, with the goal of transforming the Meyo site into a regional pharmaceutical hub. Supported by technology transfer and the Sino-Cameroonian consortium, the project injects fresh momentum into national health policy and reinforces regional integration.
In recognition of his vision, professional achievements, and success in attracting foreign investment, Mbe was elevated to the rank of Knight of the National Order of Merit by the president of the Republic of Cameroon Paul Biya in May.
