For three years, the new CEO has been working to turn around a struggling company. Through bold reforms and proactive management, he has gradually restored confidence, improved drinking water supplies, and transformed the company’s landscape.
September 30, 2025, marked the third anniversary of Dr. Blaise Moussa taking over as CEO of Cameroon Water Utilities (Camwater). Upon his arrival, the company was in crisis, with dire finances, demotivated staff, and unfinished projects. Moussa inherited a catastrophic situation, seemingly facing a near-insurmountable challenge. Yet, his record after three years is promising and points to a brighter future.
Former Secretary General of Fecafoot, Blaise Moussa was appointed head of Camwater during an Extraordinary Board Meeting. Despite his young age, he accepted this difficult mission, taking the reins of a company plagued by frequent mood swings and allegations of financial misconduct. Public discontent over the company’s inability to provide drinking water threatened to lead to a major social crisis. Upon his arrival, the drinking water supply network’s coverage did not exceed 42% in urban and peri-urban areas, an unacceptable situation for a public service.
Blaise Moussa first chose to listen to his staff, mobilizing human resources by establishing constructive dialogue. He also abandoned his suit and tie to go into the field, closely observing the reality of supply problems. This approach allowed him to identify fraud and dysfunctions in water management, both internally and with external service providers. The revenue management system was modernized, significantly reducing the risk of misappropriation.
The financial results reflect this transformation. At the December 2024 Board meeting, the Auditor’s report for the 2023 financial year indicated a loss of 5.36 billion CFA francs, a significant improvement over the previous year. This represents only a small loss, despite the fact that Moussa only managed the last quarter of the year. The execution of the Five-Year Priority Investment Program (PPQI) for 2023-2027 and the Strategic Development Plan (PSD) 2026-2030 received praise at the 56th ordinary session of the Board of Directors in September 2025.
The absence of industrial action among staff is also indicative of the positive atmosphere Moussa has fostered. His initiative to create WhatsApp forums to collect consumer complaints in real time has strengthened customer proximity. In three years, drinking water network coverage has climbed to approximately 70%, reaching 82% in urban areas and 52% in rural areas. This success is the result of several initiatives, including infrastructure repairs, distribution network expansion, and the construction of new boreholes.
The Drinking Water Supply Program (PAEP), currently being implemented in Cameroon’s ten regions, and the Paepys project in the city have also contributed to improving access to drinking water. At the same time, the fight against fraud and the improvement of employees’ working conditions, with the provision of new vehicles for technical teams, have strengthened operational efficiency.
Dr. Blaise Moussa’s efforts were praised by the Platform Pole of Consumer Associations for the Protection of the Socio-Economic Interest of Cameroon (PAIES), demonstrating the positive impact of his reforms on the population. Other projects are being implemented to continue improving Camwater’s performance, in line with the objectives set by the Head of State, Paul Biya.
In short, Blaise Moussa’s career at the helm of Camwater is a striking example of proactive leadership in a complex context. His approach, focused on listening, innovation, and transparency, has helped turn around a struggling public company while meeting the basic water supply needs of the population. The road ahead is long, but the initial results are encouraging and point to further progress in the future.
