Urban Transport Policies and Socio-Economic Development in Cameroon: The Case of Douala Urban Council
Abstract
Transportation systems play a critical role in linking producers and consumers, reducing transaction costs, and facilitating the movement of goods, people, and ideas. The availability of efficient and reliable transportation infrastructure is essential for economic growth and development because it enables access to markets, employment opportunities, schools, and essential services. This study investigates the impact of urban transport policies on socio-economic development in Douala, Cameroon. It explores how transport infrastructure affects economic activities, accessibility to services, and residents' quality of life. The research employs a qualitative design, combining primary data from surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions with secondary data from reports and literature. Key actors include government institutions, transport operators, and infrastructure development agencies. Douala’s rapid urbanization poses challenges like increased transport costs, economic slowdowns, negative mental health impacts, and high kidnapping rates. The study highlights the need for improved transport infrastructure, better linkages between transport modes, and policy enhancements. Recommendations focus on investing in road infrastructure, implementing traffic management systems, and enhancing government commitment to long-term solutions. These measures aim to foster development, attract investors, and improve transport efficiency, ultimately contributing to socio-economic growth and resilience in Douala.
References
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3. African Development Bank. (2021). Africa Connects: The First Trans-African Highway Corridor to be Completed in 2021. Retrieved from African Development Bank.
4. African Union. (2020). About the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Retrieved from African Union.
5. Almagro, M., Castillo, J. C., Hickok, N., Kup, F., & Salz, T. (2023). Optimal Urban Transportation Policy: Evidence from Chicago. Sciences Po
6. Amougou Mbarga, Alphonse Bernard (2010). « Le phénomène des motos-taxis dans la ville de Douala : crise de l’Etat, identité et régulation sociale. Une approche par les cultural studies », Anthropologie et Sociétés, vol 34, N°1, pp 55-73
7. Aschauer, D. A. (1989). Is public expenditure productive? Journal of Monetary Economics, 23(2), 177-200.
8. Bandivadekar, A., Keoleian, G. A., Denysenko, A., & Bhattacharya, J. (2018). On the road to decarbonization: Traffic congestion slows down the journey. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/traffic-congestion-slows-down-journey
9. Banister, D., & Berechman, J. (2000). Transport investment and economic development. Routledge.
10. Berg, C. N., Deichmann, U., Liu, Y., & Selod, H. (2023). Transport Policies and Development. The World Bank Cameroon road development project report 2002
Cameroon Transport Sector Development Project P150999 (2016)
11. Chianebeng J., Gideon S. et al. (2020) Urban Transport Infrastructure and Population Dynamics in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Bamenda City, Cameroon. International journal of Geography, Environment and Earth Science 24(9): 1-12, 2020; Article no.JGEESI.63520 ISSN: 2454-7352
12. Clark, C., Stansfeld, S., & Candy, B. (2014). A systematic review of the evidence on the effect of noise on mental health. Psychological Medicine, 44(5), 925-935.
13. Currie, G., & Delbosc, A. (2010). Public transport and the spatial behavior of Australian cities: A study using destination and origin data. World Transactions on Engineering and Technology Education, 8(2), 117-127.
14. Duranton, G., & Turner, M. A. (2011). The fundamental law of road congestion: Evidence from US cities. American Economic Review, 101(6), 2616-2652. www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/aer.101.6.2616
15. E. Oluwole Oni, « Public policy analysis », in Dhikru Yagboyaju et al., Fundementals of politics andgovernance, Concept Publications, pp. 324-32
16. Egbenchong, R. E., Majolie, C. D., & Akei, L. A. (2022). Urban Road Transport Infrastructure Planning and Development Implications on Socio-Economic Growth in the City of Douala, Cameroon. International Journal of Innovative Research and Studies, 24(9), 92.
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18. Gerd S.; Klementschitz R. & Roider O. Urban transport and local Socio-economic development. Journal of real estate research. 2016;5:355-369
19. Gjestland, T. (2008). Children's exposure to traffic: Data collection and findings from the EU project ART-health. European Respiratory Review, 17(111), 97-100.
20. Grundy, E., Matthews, F. E., Batty, G. D., & Pinsent, N. (2017). Wellbeing in an urban environment: Associations with exposure to road traffic noise and air pollution. Journal of Transport & Health, 6, 298-305.
21. Henao, L., & Marshall, W. (2019). Rethinking regulation for transport innovations. ITF Transport Outlook 2019, OECD/ITF, Paris, 117-134.
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25. Kpou, A. (2018). Urban Transport Policy in Cameroon: Challenges and Opportunities. Journal of Transport Geography, 70, 1-10.
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27. Mokogwu, A. (2020). The Informal Transport Sector in Douala: Impacts and Implications. African Transport Research Journal.
28. Mpoame, M. M., & Awono, A. (2017). Implications of Infrastructural Development on Cameroon's Economic Growth and Employment Policy: Evidence from a Vector Autoregressive (VAR) Model. Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development, 8(5), 104-115.
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30. Ngoran, Suinyuy Derrick; Xue, XiongZhi (2015) : Addressing urban sprawl in Douala, Cameroon: Lessons from Xiamen integrated coastal management. Journal of Urban Management, ISSN 2226-5856, Elsevier, Amsterdam, Vol. 4, Iss. 1, pp. 53-72, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jum.2015.05.001
31. Nguimkeu, A. (2020). "Infrastructure Development and Urban Mobility in Cameroon: A Case Study of Yaoundé. African Journal of Transport and Infrastructure Research, 10(1), 45-60.
32. Ngwa, A. (2019). Safety and Security in Urban Transport: The Case of Douala Taxis. Cameroon Journal of Transport Studies. Vol.2
33. Ngwa, A. (2021). Public-Private Partnerships in Urban Transport Development in Cameroon. Transport Policy, 98, 1-10.
34. Nicolas Nöel Chabanel Owona Ndounda. Les politiques publiques des transports des transports au Cameroun de 1884 à 2017. Histoire. Université de Yaoundé 1 (Cameroun), 2022. Français. NNT : https://hal.science/tel-03774858
35. Njeuma, J. (2018). Urban Transport Challenges in Douala: A Focus on Infrastructure. Journal of Urban Planning.
36. Njimanted G.F. & Mbohjim O. M.( 2013): Determinants of Traffic Congestion in the Metropolis of Douala, Cameroon: An integrated approach. Revue de l’academie des sciences du Cameroun Vol. 11 No. 2 & 3
37. Nkendah, J., & Nguena, C. (2019). The impact of road infrastructure on employment in Africa: evidence from Cameroon. African Journal of Economic and Sustainable Development, 8(1), 14-30.
38. OECD Publishing. (2011). Towards green growth. OECD Green Growth Studies. OECD Publishing.
39. OECD. (2001). Regulatory reform in road transport.
40. Pierre Jacquemot, Jean Yango. Soixante ans de politique urbaine à Douala. La revanche de l’informel face à la volonté planificatrice. Afrique Contemporaine, 2020, 271-272, pp.281-301. 10.3917/afco.271.0281. hal-03892685
41. Sunusi Abdulkarim et. Al. (2022) Roles of road transport policy on economic development in federal capital territory Abuja, Nigeria: stakeholders perception. Journal of tourism, hospitality and environment management (JTHEM), Volume 7 Issue 27 (March 2022) PP. 179-197 DOI 10/35631/JTHEM.727015
42. Tchouakeu, J. (2021). Regulatory Framework and Its Impact on Taxi Operations in Douala. International Journal of Transport Policy.
43. Transport and Infrastructure - Cameroon | AFRI-RES
44. UN. World urbanization Prospects: The 2018 Revision. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs/Population Division, (E/CN.9/2018/5); 2019
45. United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. (n.d.). African Road Safety Action Plan (2011-2020). Retrieved from UNECA.
46. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2020). Global Study on Homicide 2019. Retrieved from
https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/gsh/Booklet\_5.pdf
47. World Bank. (1994). World development report 1994: Infrastructure for development. World Bank
48. World Bank. (2016). Sustainable Urban Mobility in Addis Ababa. Retrieved from World Bank.
49. World Bank. (2018). Cameroon: Transport Sector Review. Washington, DC: World Bank.
50. World Bank. (2018). Project Information Document/Integrated Safeguards Data Sheet (PID/ISDS) - Douala Urban Mobility Project (P167795).
51. World Health Organization. (2018). Global status report on road safety 2018. Geneva: WHO.
52. World population review 2024 retraceable at
https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/cities/cameroon
www.cameroon-tribune.cm
Authors
[1]
“Urban Transport Policies and Socio-Economic Development in Cameroon: The Case of Douala Urban Council”, Soc. sci. humanities j., vol. 9, no. 02, pp. 7034–7052, Feb. 2025, doi: 10.18535/sshj.v9i02.1669.
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