The Banking Commission of the Central African Republic published an assessment showing that the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa’s Composite Index of Economic Activity grew 5.9% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, up from 5.1% in the first quarter. Growth is forecast to accelerate to 8.5% in the third quarter, driven mainly by private sector activity, stronger extractive industries and the gradual resumption of public infrastructure projects. Cameroon contributed 3.8 percentage points to second quarter growth, followed by Chad with 1.2 points. Telecommunications, digital and mobile financial services, trade and manufacturing supported activity, while commodities provided a further but uneven contribution. Fiscal consolidation and weak execution of public investment constrained construction, transport and related services, particularly in Cameroon and Gabon. For the third quarter, Cameroon is expected to contribute 5.5 percentage points, Chad 1.9 points and Congo 0.9 point. Energy, logistics and budget constraints remain downside factors, alongside declining production from mature oil fields. Equatorial Guinea is forecast to subtract 0.2 point from the regional index, while the public sector’s contribution depends on faster budget implementation and investment spending.
Banking Commission of the Central African Republic reports CEMAC activity growth accelerated to 5.9%, forecasts 8.5% in third quarter
The Banking Commission of the Central African Republic reported that CEMAC economic activity grew 5.9% year over year in the second quarter of 2026 and forecast growth of 8.5% in the third quarter. Private sector activity, commodities and infrastructure projects are expected to support the acceleration, while energy, logistics and fiscal constraints remain drags.