Located in the Port of Douala, the Cameroon Shipyard and Industrial Engineering Ltd. (CNIC) is a key player in onshore and offshore oil equipment maintenance. Established to support the oil industry in the Gulf of Guinea, it underwent drastic restructuring between 2015 and 2017, slashing its workforce from 800 to 300 employees.
Despite this restructuring, CNIC has struggled to meet its payroll obligations, accumulating 18 months of back pay estimated at 2.7 billion FCFA. Intended to generate revenue, the subleasing of its industrial space has instead exacerbated the situation by restricting the company's access to the vital infrastructure needed for its operations.
CNIC workers have been on strike since September 30, 2025, to demand the payment of 18 months in wage arrears, estimated at 2.7 billion FCFA. The company currently employs 300 people, down from 800 prior to the 2015–2017 restructuring. Subleasing industrial space has restricted access to its own infrastructure, effectively stalling projects and putting jobs on hold. CNIC specializes in oil equipment maintenance and ship repair—sectors vital to the Cameroonian economy. A shipyard expansion project in Limbé, 80 km from Douala, was previously planned to meet the oil industry's growing demands.
The crisis at CNIC highlights the structural challenges plaguing Cameroonian state-owned enterprises, which frequently face governance and financing hurdles. Although intended to generate income, the subleasing of facility spaces appears to have been mismanaged, depriving the company of its core production assets.
This situation underscores the urgent need for deeper reform within Cameroon's industrial sector, particularly in strategic fields like oilfield maintenance. Without swift intervention, CNIC risks losing credibility among international partners and further undermining local employment.
For Cameroon, the deadlock at CNIC poses a direct threat to an oil sector already weakened by price volatility and regional competition. Losing these jobs could exacerbate unemployment in the Douala region, where the industrial sector serves as an economic cornerstone. Moreover, the inability to meet payroll sends a negative signal to foreign investors, potentially raising doubts about the stability of the business climate.
Resolving the CNIC crisis will require coordinated action from public authorities and industrial partners. Without a clear turnaround plan that includes paying wage arrears and managing subleased spaces transparently, the company risks collapse, taking hundreds of jobs and vital technical expertise down with it.
