Wega Food targets major capacity boost as Cameroon’s sugar market faces structural gaps 

CAMEROON – Wega Food, a Cameroonian producer of white sugar, has announced a significant capacity expansion that could alter the dynamics of the country’s sugar sector.  

The company, which operates a refinery in Douala’s industrial zone, stated that its processing capability will reach 700 metric tons per day within the next three months once an ongoing upgrade project is finalized. 

According to the company, the increased capacity is intended to strengthen national supply and create the potential for exportable surpluses.  

In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Commerce, Wega Food General Manager Christian Ngandeu said the additional output would position Cameroon to move beyond meeting domestic requirements. 

The company’s assessment aligns with earlier appeals from SOSUCAM, the country’s primary sugar producer, which has repeatedly urged authorities to enforce stricter import regulations to safeguard the local industry.  

Wega Food argued that the current production season at SOSUCAM, combined with the Douala facility’s existing operations, is already sufficient to satisfy demand from both consumers and industrial users, reducing the need for further refined sugar imports. 

Wega Food maintains that it has played a stabilizing role in recent months by securing several raw sugar supply contracts despite what it described as significant constraints. These imports, the company said, allowed the refinery to maintain consistent market availability and avoid the shortages that have historically affected the sector. 

Industry data indicates that available capacity currently exceeds 100,000 metric tons, with approximately 70,000 tons attributed to Wega Food’s refinery and around 30,000 tons brought in to support distributors and manufacturers.  

This supply enters a market in which annual demand is estimated at nearly 300,000 tons, a longstanding shortfall that has prompted the government to authorize additional imports in previous years. 

Wega Food’s ambition to support national self-sufficiency and establish an export pathway comes amid persistent pressures on the domestic sugar landscape.  

For the planned capacity increase to have a lasting impact, the company must navigate ongoing labor-related challenges affecting harvesting and processing.  

Additionally, stakeholders await clearer government guidance on how it intends to balance support for local producers with the imperative of ensuring reliable supply for households and industries. 

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