There is little to no publicity made around this innovation to the point that it remained at the rumour stage: paying utility bills is now possible through the branches of the microfinance company Express Union. The information went around by word of mouth. But it was welcomed several times with disbelief by the subscribers used to queuing for years to settle their bills.
After getting in contact with the company Camerounaise Des Eaux (CDE), the private concessionaire in charge of the water production confirmed that since 23 December 2013, approximately 80 towns in Cameroon can now pay their bills in the Express Union branches. However, CDE indicates, the major cities such as Yaoundé and Douala are not included in this payment facility.
A Cameroonian company resulting from the reform of the drinking water and urban hydraulics sector led by the government of Cameroon in 2005, CDE was created in December 2007 to manage, produce and distribute drinking water in urban and peri-urban areas. It started operating on 02 May 2008 for a 10-year period, with the mission of handling the drinking water public service in Cameroon in the area on lease which covers 110 urban and peri-urban centres.
Sylvain Andzongo