REDD+ from Congo Basin to East Africa: A Regional Forest Credit Market

Cameroon's Congo Basin forests, Kenya's savanna corridors, and Uganda's mountain gorilla ecosystems form a natural regional carbon market — one that institutional buyers are increasingly approaching as a coherent sourcing geography rather than a collection of isolated national markets. Understanding how these landscapes connect, and what each brings to a diversified forest credit portfolio, is essential for serious buyers operating at scale.

Cameroon and the Congo Basin: The Foundation

With over 22 million hectares of moist tropical forest, Cameroon is the western anchor of the Congo Basin — the world's second-largest tropical forest after the Amazon. A June 2026 update from the DRC Ministry of Environment listed 71 active REDD+ concessions covering 17.7 million hectares across the DRC, with 61 carbon projects registered or in the process of registering. The DRC government is also considering a carbon tax with REDD+ credits as the primary offset supply — a development that could significantly increase institutional demand for Congo Basin credits. Cameroon's national REDD+ strategy positions its forests as a central asset within this larger partnership. A new community-based avoided deforestation project in the DRC (VM0048, project 6029) was registered with Verra in July 2026, confirming that this pipeline continues to grow actively.

REDD+ projects in Cameroon certified under combined VCS and CCB standards command market premiums of 20–40% over VCS-only credits. Endemic species including the western lowland gorilla and African forest elephant strengthen the biodiversity co-benefit profile that premium buyers increasingly require.

REDD+ Pricing Context

To anchor buyer expectations: as of late July 2026, benchmark REDD+ credits — measured against the Katingan project in Indonesia, the global reference project — traded at $6.20/tCO2e for 2020 vintages, $7.90 for 2021, and $8.40 for 2022, with newer vintages commanding a clear premium driven by quality-conscious buyer demand. Cameroonian REDD+ projects with combined VCS+CCB certification consistently trade above these benchmarks.

Kenya: The Article 6 Supply Chain

Kenya is the most established REDD+ market in the region for buyers who need Article 6-authorized credits. The Kasigau Corridor project and the Northern Rangelands Trust form the backbone of Kenya's supply. With bilateral ITMO agreements already signed with Switzerland and Sweden, Kenya allows buyers to access Article 6 credits today — an advantage that neither Cameroon nor Uganda can yet fully offer. Kenya's Carbon Markets Bill, progressing through parliament, will further consolidate this position.

Uganda: The Biodiversity Premium

Uganda brings a distinct dimension to the regional market. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest — a UNESCO World Heritage site sheltering roughly half the world's mountain gorillas — generates credits with some of the highest biodiversity co-benefit scores in the global voluntary market. The Albertine Rift wetlands represent an emerging inland blue carbon opportunity, with papyrus peat carbon densities of 100–300 tonnes CO2 per hectare in deep deposit zones. For buyers seeking to demonstrate nature-positive commitments beyond carbon neutrality, Ugandan credits offer a co-benefit profile difficult to match elsewhere in the region.

Funding Opportunity for Project Developers

A near-term opportunity worth flagging: the Global Landscapes Forum has opened applications for its "Rio Changemakers" AI-powered marketplace, offering up to $300,000 per project. Africa is a priority geography, and eligible project types include biodiversity conservation, ecological restoration, and blue carbon — squarely aligned with Cameroon's project pipeline. Applications close August 22, 2026.

Why Buyers Think at the Regional Scale

Project risk, deforestation drivers, and credit vintage differ significantly across Cameroon, Kenya, and Uganda. Buyers who diversify across all three markets reduce concentration risk, access different buyer markets (Article 6 versus voluntary), and build a more defensible portfolio narrative for sustainability reporting. Cameroon — by size, carbon density, and its central role in the Congo Basin — is the natural anchor of a regional forest credit buying strategy. Layering in Kenya's Article 6-authorized near-term supply and Uganda's premium biodiversity credits completes a portfolio that is both resilient and commercially compelling.

Related reading: For Kenya's REDD+ market, visit co2.ke. For the Uganda perspective, visit co2.ug.