Selling to the Government
There are export opportunities in renewable energy including solar power, electricity generation and distribution, and infrastructure development and construction. The Government of Chad is also sometimes an investor in commercial projects, including through state owned enterprises.
The Chadian government publishes procurement tenders in the local press and occasionally in the international press. The Ministry requesting the procurement issues the tender, in collaboration with the Public Procurement Office, which is under the Secretary General of the Government (SGG). The SGG may also receive and approve tenders on behalf of the requesting Ministries.
Historically, Chad has prioritized the cost of infrastructure, limiting opportunities for sustainable and high-quality U.S. products and services.
Chad is not a signatory to the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement or a party to a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States that contains commitments on government procurement.
U.S. companies bidding on Government tenders may also qualify for U.S. Government advocacy. A unit of the U.S. Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration, the Advocacy Center coordinates U.S. Government interagency advocacy efforts on behalf of U.S. exporters bidding on public sector contracts with international governments and government agencies. The Advocacy Center works closely with our network of the U.S. Commercial Service worldwide and inter-agency partners to ensure that exporters of U.S. products and services have the best possible chance of winning government contracts. Advocacy assistance can take many forms but often involves the U.S. Embassy or other U.S. Government agencies expressing support for the U.S. bidders directly to the foreign government. Consult Advocacy for Foreign Government Contracts for additional information.
Financing of Projects
Multilateral lending institutions including the World Bank, African Development Bank (BAD), European Development Fund (FED), and Islamic Development Bank finance a significant portion of public sector investment. The World Bank has a resident representative in N’Djamena, and its affiliate, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), maintains a regional office in Douala (Cameroon) for borrowers in Central Africa. The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the African Development Fund (ADF) have financed agricultural, industrial, and infrastructure projects in both the public and private sectors.
The U.S. Development Finance Corporation is active in Chad.
Multilateral Development Banks and Financing Government Sales. Price, payment terms, and financing can be a significant factor in winning a government contract. Many governments finance public works projects through borrowing from the Multilateral Development Banks (MDB). A helpful guide for working with the MDBs is the Guide to Doing Business with the Multilateral Development Banks. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s (USDOC) International Trade Administration (ITA) has a Foreign Commercial Service Officer stationed at each of the five different Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs): the African Development Bank; the Asian Development Bank; the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; the Inter-American Development Bank; and the World Bank.
Learn more by contacting the:
- Commercial Liaison Office to the African Development Bank
- Commercial Liaison Office to the World Bank
The Government of Chad has had limited funds for infrastructure and commercial investment projects since global oil prices collapsed in 2014.
Foreign investors can obtain local financing for investment and trade purposes on non-discriminatory terms, but most borrow from foreign sources due to Chad’s comparatively high interest rates. Because local sources of financing are limited and expensive, competitive credit terms may be more appealing to a potential buyer than other factors.