Life-changing: What electricity means in Cameroon – a travel report

Following our merger with SunErgy in April, we now also have a presence in Cameroon. This step expands our business model and our “solar footprint” because we are now financing PV systems not only for companies but also for entire village communities. And for the first time, we are active in a country where not only English but also French is an official language.

Ralph Schneider and Timo Schäfer recently visited Cameroon again and describe their impressions of the country, which is often called “Africa in miniature” because it offers considerable diversity in terms of landscapes, climate zones, fauna, tribes, and languages. Welcome to a country that is about one and a half times the size of Germany but has only a third of its population. Speaking of Germany, Cameroon was a colony of the German Empire between 1884 (i.e., after the infamous Berlin Congo Conference) and 1919.

Day 1: Arrival in Yaounde, digital challenges, and Yannick Noah

After a hearty Weißwurst breakfast, we fly from Munich via Brussels to Yaounde. Before reaching Cameroon's political capital at 8 p.m., we make a stopover in Douala, the economic center.

We enter the country with an e-visa and the formalities are quite chaotic. Afterwards, we fail to exchange money because none of the ATMs are working due to poor internet connection. So we make do with a little cash that we get from a money changer between the exit of Yaounde airport and the ATM.

We take a taxi to the Hotel Village Noah, owned by former French tennis star Yannick Noah, who has roots in Cameroon and is also a successful singer. Check-in at 10 p.m. is difficult, but the rooms are great. We have a late dinner at midnight and fall into bed exhausted.

Day 2: Meeting with the embassy, punctual trains, arrival in Douala – and a lot of rain

Today we are traveling from Yaounde to Douala. We don't have train tickets yet. These can only be purchased online with MTN MoMo (Mobile Money). Our French is too poor to communicate with the receptionist. We also need to make copies of our passports. The hotel manager speaks English, which is a huge help in buying the tickets and organizing the trip to the train.

But first, we meet Deputy Ambassador Paul Sonntag at the “Cosy Pool.” The small restaurant offers good food at reasonable prices, but we are the only guests sitting outside. The Cameroonians are probably just smarter than us, because it's the rainy season in the country. It lasts almost seven months, but is very different from Ghana. Somehow, it rains often and constantly. However, the temperatures are acceptable.

Not enough German companies on site

We learn that the German ambassador has retired and the new ambassador will not arrive until next week, and we discuss the economic and political situation in the country. Unfortunately, very few companies from Germany are active in Cameroon.

When we mention that we want to take the train to Douala, we are met with frowns and incomprehension. No one in their right mind takes the train in Cameroon. Nevertheless, we want to give it a try.

Off to the train station

It starts with the taxi not arriving. The hotel kindly provides us with a car and driver. However, the trunk won't open and can only be closed with brute force. It takes us 45 minutes to get to the train station due to the heavy traffic. Checking in is impossible without help. The courageous porter shoulders both suitcases at once. At the entrance to the train station, our luggage is searched and weighed. The tickets are checked at least three times.

Vintage train with updates

The train, which departs punctually at 5 p.m., is practically a vintage train, but after renovations it now has air conditioning, televisions with videos, and leather seats. The train journey, which costs us around €15 per person, takes five hours. We travel first class, and a hostess shows us to our seats. The tracks date back to the German colonial era. The carriages are only slightly newer, but they are air-conditioned and equipped with reasonably comfortable seats. The toilets work and are clean. There are only five white people on the train, including us. So this is what it feels like to be in the minority. Frankly, such a change of perspective is highly recommended!

Heading towards Douala, we pass through tropical rainforests and beautiful landscapes. The downside of being so close to the equator, however, is that it is already dark at 6:30 p.m. and we don't get to see much of the great view. The train driver honks his horn constantly, every 10 seconds. For five hours. When it gets dark, we make our way to the dining car. Every change of car is an adventure. The dining car is full. Nevertheless, we get a seat. Unlike in Germany, there is still a proper kitchen on board, from which chicken, meat, fish, and all kinds of side dishes are regularly served. But most passengers just drink a lot. Beer or mixed drinks with whiskey in them.

In Douala, we arrive on time at 10 p.m. after only three stops. Shout-out to Deutsche Bahn!

Rain = no internet

The usual hustle and bustle reigns in the economic metropolis. We wait for our luggage. When we finally leave the station, it is raining again. There is no Uber, but there is the Yango app, which belongs to the Yandex empire, the Russian Google, and only works to a limited extent. Finally, we find a taxi driver who is willing to take us. In a mixture of French and English, we try to give him the address. He can't read Google Maps, and it's raining, which affects the internet connection.

We call our Airbnb host, who patiently explains everything on the phone. At around 11 p.m., we finally arrive at the really nice apartment. There is water in the fridge. Food: none. So cookies for dinner.

Day 3: Rough road, inverter... and there was light!

After waking up, we find a small bakery with a modest, typically African selection. Baguettes, brioche, and we also buy some chocolate pastries.

Because the GPS – of course – isn't working, it takes a while before we can get Mike Fohba, our local managing director, on the phone to guide us. At 9:00 a.m., Mike, who left Limbe, arrives after more than three hours of driving. The bottleneck is

Bonabera. There is only one road in and out of Douala, the roads are disastrous, the traffic is murderous, and lanes are interpreted very generously. Add to that the rainy season, mud, and potholes so deep that even with the Toyota Hilux, you have to worry about axle breakage.

Light and shadow

We battle through traffic for several hours. Things improve in the countryside. We leave the main road behind us and reach the villages of Kotto Up, Kotto Nachtigall, and Matouke, which have been electrified by SunErgy, via unpaved tracks. We take a look at three systems. They are in dire need of overhaul, some of the batteries are only provisionally functional, and some of the modules are broken. So we have to get to work here. However, we also see that three of our new inverters have been installed in Kotto Nachtigall and the old ELTEC machines have been bypassed, so the village is once again fully supplied with power. Another new inverter is being tested in Motouke. The system works. Now we can order the other inverters.

Entering the digital age

Everything is still done analogously here. Our meter reader travels around the houses on a motorcycle (which we provide). The locations are spread over several kilometers. Until now, all data was recorded manually, transferred to Excel, transmitted, and then the invoices were printed out. This leaves plenty of room for error, so the tablets we have distributed should make life easier for our employees. In future, it will be possible to document the meters with photos and transmit the data electronically. This alone will save us more than 10,000 printouts per year, i.e. printing, toner, and filing costs, not to mention paper.

Now it's time to head back. However, the return journey is an ordeal. We haven't eaten since breakfast. Bonabera once again becomes a bottleneck. Sometimes we stand for 15 minutes without moving a single meter.

Why are we taking all this on? For the sake of the people.

The visit to SunErgy, our subsidiary, was much more than a business trip. It was a journey to meet people, hear their stories, and learn about the future of energy supply in regions that have been left behind until now. In Cameroon, we visited five solar mini-grid systems that have been reliably supplying electricity to remote villages for years. The commitment of our Cameroonian team is sensational. With passion, expertise, and a deep belief in progress, they work every day to bring about change—from the inside out.

Thanks to their commitment, hundreds of families have already been supplied with clean, sustainable energy – all of them for the first time in their lives. Particularly impressive was the visit to a new village that we hope to electrify in the near future. Over 1,000 families live there without access to light. For many children, this means no studying after sunset and no safe space in the evening.

📚 Light means education.

📈 Education means development.

🌟 And development means future.

Our local projects clearly show that investments in decentralized renewable energies are not only economically and ecologically sensible, but also socially effective.

Our employees know best what electricity means for the village

During a visit to one of our villages, we had the opportunity to talk to Christabelle, who has been working for SunErgy for four years. We asked her if she enjoyed working for us. Her answer was astonishing. Not only did she reply, “I love it,” but the key message that followed was, “It changed my life!”

And that was true. The young woman was already quite well educated. But as a woman in a village in the middle of nowhere, without a job or meaningful activity, her future prospects were quite limited. Thanks to the photovoltaic system we operate, we were able to hire several employees. Among them was Christabelle as a cashier. She was able to continue her education on a regular basis and has a solid, stable income, which gives her prestige. And she has the opportunity to stay up to date and develop herself further through IT and the internet. Now she is married, has a young son, and is the owner of a small house. This is what prosperity looks like in Cameroon.

It changed her life!

Wow.

Now it's time for us to head back. We still need to go shopping. Mike insists that we visit a Spar (German supermarket). It's still pouring with rain. The supermarket has everything our hearts desire, and we spend more than 150 euros. Of course, some of the employees' purchases are also charged to our credit card. It's clear that every reasonably Western product is 20-50% more expensive than in Munich, making it almost unaffordable for the local population.

Around 9:00 p.m., we are back at the apartment. Mike battles his way back through traffic to his home. It will take him another 3-4 hours to cover less than 60 kilometers, meaning he has been on the road for more than 18 hours, mostly behind the wheel. We enjoy a nice dinner at the Kiku restaurant.

Conclusion

Our trip was as exhausting as it was educational. We were delighted to see the team in action and, above all, to witness the impact of their work. Energy means progress, and entire villages now have completely new opportunities, which is wonderful to see.

In summary, we can say that there is a lot of catching up to do in the areas of (digital) infrastructure and energy supply. Even in the big cities, power and internet outages are frequent. As soon as it rains, you have to expect them. Politically, there is stagnation. After 42 years in power, the incumbent president, Paul Biya, is running for re-election once again at the age of 92. As a result, the country seems paralyzed. The situation with neighboring Equatorial Guinea is also difficult.

But despite all the challenges facing the country, the growth of recent years is impressive:

2020: 0,5 % (Coronayear)

2021: 3,6%

2022: 3,6%

2023: 4,0%

2024: 4,1% (forecast)

2025: 4,4% (forecast)

Cameroon is at the beginning of its development. And we want to be part of the race to catch up. The country has inspired us with its breathtaking nature, fascinating culture, and enormous potential for a sustainable energy future.

We are already looking forward to our next visit—and to seeing how our vision continues to become reality. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook to stay up to date.