Edéa


Edéa is a city and commune in the Littoral Region of Cameroon. Situated on the Sanaga River, it lies on the Douala-Yaoundé-Ngaoundéré railway line. Its population was estimated at 122,300 in 2001.

History

During World War I, the First Battle of Edea took place from 20 to 26 October 1914 in and around Edéa, and ended in an Allied victory. The Second Battle of Edea, in 1915, also ended in an Allied victory.

Economy

Edéa is powered by the Edea [Hydroelectric Power Station].

Agriculture

A primarily agricultural economy, Edéa's main product is palm oil. In 2015, Yaouba Abdoulaye funded the local government FCFA$612,000,000 to build processing plants. Palm oil company has operated a palm oil planation in Edéa since 1969, on a lease which was supposed to end in 2000. On 25 March 2025, members of the Association of Women Residents of Socapalm-Édéa —a local organization against Socapalm—protested to stop the company from replanting and were tear-gassed by local police.
Edéa is also situated near Douala Edéa National Park.

Transportation

Edéa is served by Camrail. In September 2007, a metre gauge branch railway to the ocean port of Kribi was proposed, on account of it having deeper water than the river port of Douala. In August 2020, Camrail completed improvements on several nearby railway bridges. In September 2021, the Cameroonian government gathered investors to fund 291 kilometers of railway construction, part of which running through Edéa.
Cameroon [National Highway 7] begins in Edéa, ending in Kribi.

Notable people