Yaoundé, June 22, 2026 – The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), through its Central Africa sub-regional office and the African Centre for Statistics, is providing technical support to Cameroon to develop its energy accounts. This initiative is being carried out in collaboration with Cameroon’s National Institute of Statistics (INS) and the World Bank under the HISWACA project.
A five-day workshop in Douala, running from June 22 to 26, 2026, brings together key government institutions, energy sector agencies, and technical and financial partners. The goal is to jointly assess available data and outline the technical, methodological, and institutional requirements to establish energy accounts in line with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA). This internationally recognized statistical framework, adopted by the United Nations, provides a structured way to measure the interplay between economic activity and environmental impacts.
Why energy accounts matter
Energy accounts serve as a modern statistical tool that bridges data on energy extraction, production, transformation, consumption, and trade with a country’s economic activities. They also track residual emissions into the environment, offering a comprehensive view of the energy-economy-environment nexus. This integrated approach enables policymakers to answer critical questions such as:
- What volume of energy is produced locally?
- Which economic sectors consume the most energy?
- How is energy transformed and utilized across industries?
- What is energy’s contribution to national wealth creation?
- How do energy policies influence economic growth, employment, and greenhouse gas emissions?
Beyond policy guidance, these accounts provide the data backbone needed for informed investment decisions in the country’s energy transition. In an era of rising energy demand, tightening energy security, and escalating climate challenges, reliable and integrated statistics are indispensable for evidence-based policymaking and strategic planning.
Alignment with national development goals
The development of energy accounts is fully aligned with Cameroon’s Vision 2035 and the National Development Strategy 2020–2030 (SND30). Both frameworks prioritize structural transformation, sustainable industrialization, and energy transition as cornerstones of the country’s long-term growth agenda.
Moreover, energy accounts will play a crucial role in tracking progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 13 (climate action), and SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production). They will also empower Cameroon to evaluate the effectiveness of its energy policies, harmonize economic planning with natural resource management, and embed environmental considerations into public decision-making.
Workshop sets the stage for action
The Douala workshop marks a pivotal step in the energy accounting process. Participants will identify user needs, assess existing data gaps, and develop a practical roadmap for compiling future energy accounts. This initiative is part of Cameroon’s broader National Plan for Environmental and Economic Accounting (PNDEAE), adopted in 2023 as the roadmap for implementing the SEEA framework. Energy accounting has been designated a priority area within this plan to operationalize environmental and economic accounting nationwide.
Through this effort, UNECA is reinforcing Cameroon’s national statistical capacity and advancing the development of environmental and economic accounting. The support includes methodological guidance aligned with international standards, specialized expertise—including contributions from the United Kingdom’s Office for National Statistics—and ongoing technical assistance throughout the energy accounting process.
