Journal of African Earth Sciences 36 (2003) 207–214

www.elsevier.com/locate/jafrearsci

Pan-African tectonic evolution in central and southern Cameroon:

transpression and transtension during sinistral shear movements
V. Ngako a, P. Affaton b,*
, J.M. Nnange a, Th. Njanko c

a
Institut de Recherches G
eologiques et Minieres (IRGM), B.P. 4110, Yaound
e, Cameroon
b
CEREGE, Europ^ ole de l’Arbois, B.P. 80, 13545 Aix-en-Provence Cedex 4, France
c
D
epartement des Sciences de la Terre, Universit

e de Dschang, Cameroon
Received 28 February 2002; accepted 25 March 2003

Abstract
Kinematic analysis of the central Cameroon shear zone (CCSZ) and its Sanaga fault relay, indicate early sinistral shear
movement (phase D2 ) that was later followed by a dextral shear movement (phase D3 ) during the Pan-African orogeny. The
correlation of tectonic events among the CCSZs, thrusting of the Yaounde Group and the deformation in the Lom Group indicate a
diachronous deposition history of these groups, where the Yaounde Group is pre-kinematic while the sedimentary and magmatic
rocks of the Lom basin are syn-kinematic. Sinistral shear movements along the CCSZ and Sanaga faults are correlated with
metamorphism and thrusting of the Yaounde granulites onto the Congo craton, on one hand, and to the opening of the Lom pull-
apart basin, oblique to the shear zone, on the other. Kinematic interactions between shear and thrust movements characterize
transpression, whereas interactions between shear and oblique normal fault movements characterize transtension. Resulting kine-
matic indicators show that the Lom basin represents a sinistral transtensional relay of the Sanaga fault. Greenschist-facies meta-
morphism in the Lom Group rocks dominantly affected by a monophase tectonic evolution were achieved during the late dextral
shear movements along the Sanaga fault.
Ó 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Pull-apart basin; Transpression; Transtension; Mono- and polycyclic evolution; Mylonite

1. Introduction the CCSZ, known so far as a major fault controlling the

Pan-African tectonic evolution in central and south-
ern Cameroon (Figs. 1 and 2) is characterized by thrust
and shear zones that have intensely transposed early D1
structures, respectively (Ball et al., 1984; Nzenti et al.,
1984, 1988; N
edelec et al., 1986; Ngako et al., 1991;
Njonfang et al., 1998). The central Cameroon shear
zone (CCSZ, Figs. 1 and 2), which is a major Pan-
African crustal discontinuity, represents the boundary
between a northern paleo-active margin (Njel, 1986;
Toteu et al., 1987; Toteu, 1990; Ngako, 1999), and a
southern paleo-intracontinental domain (Nzenti and
Tchoua, 1996; Nzenti, 1998). Current interpretations of
the Pan-African evolution of central Cameroon raises
the following correlation problems at the regional level:
(i) the southward vergence of the Yaounde Group is not
consistent with major dextral shear movements along
*
Corresponding author. Fax: +33-4-9107-1398.
E-mail address: affaton@cerege.fr (P. Affaton).
structural evolution of the belt (Ngako et al., 1991;
Toteu et al., 1991); (ii) correlation among the principal
tectonic units such as Lom and Poli Groups with the
Yaounde Group is not clear (Soba et al., 1991); and (iii)
the relationship between the low grade metamorphic
units in the Lom basin (sub-greenschist to greenschist
facies) and the high grade gneissic and migmatitic unit in
the basement needs to be investigated.
Except for the Poli Group, low grade metamorphic
rocks are only known at the northern edge of the Congo
craton, where they define the sole of a reverse meta-
morphic suite with progressive increase of metamorphic
grade from the greenschist facies at the contact zone of
the belt with the Congo craton, to the granulite facies
and migmatites far north, towards the contact with the
CCSZ.
Pan-African strain data from northern, central and
southern Cameroon (Fig. 2), and especially kinematic
relationships between thrusts, normal faults and shear
zones, show a complex tectonic history. This includes an

0899-5362/03/$ - see front matter Ó 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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208 V. Ngako et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 36 (2003) 207–214

Fig. 1. Pan-African and Brasiliano shear zones in a pre-drift reconstruction (from Ngako, 1999). Shear zones: (a) Balche SZ; (b) Buffle Noir SZ;
(c) CCZS; (d) Sanaga SZ; (e) Pernambuco SZ; (f) Patos SZ; (g) Okene ZS; (h) Zungeru (or Birnin Gwari) SZ; (i) Kandi-Sobral SZ. Stratigraphic units:
(1) Cambrian to quaternary deposits; (2) Benue trough; (3) Pan-African monocyclic and polycyclic units; (4) cratons; (5) postectonic granites.
Kinematics: (6) Mean convergence and collision directions; (7) Direction and sens of nappe displacements; (8) Pan-African finite relative movement in
shear zones; (9) major thrust zones; (10) Massenya-Ounianga-Air suture zone. Local names: Ho, Hoggar; AI, Air; T, Tibati; L, Lom; WCB, West
Congolian belt; WN, Western Nigeria; CN, Central Nigeria; EN, Eastern Nigeria; NC, Northern Cameroon; SC, Southern Cameroon; OU,
Oubanguides; SLC, S^ao Luis craton (or S^ao Francisco). Location of study area.

early sinistral shear movement within the CCSZ, ac-
companied by SSW thrusting onto the Congo craton
(transpression) and oblique extensional faults generating
the Lom pull-apart basin (transtension). Deformation
and metamorphism of the Lom Group are correlated
with late dextral shear movements parallel to the shear
zone.
2. Geological setting
The central and southern Cameroon domains display
different structural styles characterized by shear and
thrust zones, respectively. The central domain shows
steep dipping structures bounded by two major N70°E
shear zones: the CCSZ to the north, and the Sanaga
fault (SF) to the south. Southern Cameroon is charac-
terized by flat lying units thrust onto the Congo craton
(Ball et al., 1984; N
edelec et al., 1986; Nzenti et al.,
1988) and showing an increase of dip towards the central
domain. Geologic units in central Cameroon include
Eburnean (Paleoproterozoic) basement within the Pan-
African granitic batholiths (Penaye et al., 1993; Toteu
et al., 1994), while southern Cameroon mostly includes
Pan-African granulites, migmatites (Yaounde Group)
and granites. The CCSZ and SF show complex faulting
which records Pan-African and post Pan-African reac-
tivations (Ngangom, 1983). The Yaounde and Lom
Groups are considered for now as Pan-African litho-
stratigraphic equivalents (Soba et al., 1991; Penaye et al.,
1993). However, the Yaounde granulites, by contrast
to the Lom Group is more extensive and overlies the
Congo craton from the Cameroon coastal region into
the Central African Republic, in the Oubanguide belt
(Poidevin, 1983; Pin and Poidevin, 1987; Rolin, 1992).
The Yaounde and Lom Groups belong to the Central
Africa Pan-African belt which in this part of Africa is
the result of collision between the East Sahara craton,
the Central Africa paleo-continent (including the Congo
craton) and the West Africa craton (WAC) in the time
interval 640–600 Ma (Fig. 1, Ngako, 1999; Caby and
Boess
e, 2001; Ferr
e et al., 2002).
 V. Ngako et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 36 (2003) 207–214 209

Fig. 2. Structural map of central and southern Cameroon. (1) syn-D2 granites; (2) Lom; (3a) Poli Group and (3b) Yaounde Group; (4a) undif-
ferentiated gneisses and (4b) Eburnean basement relics; (5) Congo craton; (6) foliations S1-2 and stretching lineations L2 (after Jegouzo, 1984);
(7) major frontal thrust zone; (8) major shear zones, with indication of relative shear movement.

3. Structures and kinematic evolution of central Came-
roon shear zones
3.1. Central Cameroon shear zone (CCSZ)
The CCSZ is a ductile fault striking N70°E, that
continues as far as the Gulf of Aden (Cornacchia and
Dars, 1983). This fault is also considered a pre-drift
extension of the Pernambuco fault in NE-Brazil (Fig. 1,
Louis, 1970; De Almeida et al., 1981). During the late
Pan-African tectonic evolution, CCSZ was dextrally
reactivated (Ngako et al., 1991). However, the available
structural data in Cameroon (Soba, 1989) and in Brazil
(Archanjo and Bouchez, 1991) show evidence of both
dextral and sinistral displacements. Markers of these
respective movements have tentatively been interpreted
as evidence for successive increments of a progressive
dextral shearing along the fault (Archanjo and Bouchez,
1991). However, field chronology of the deformation
phases presented in this study gives further evidence for
sinistral and dextral movements, respectively.
The Koata region (west of Tibati, Fig. 3a), represents
an early mylonite zone sandwiched by late dextral shear
zones. This regional structure is evident on the aero-
magnetic map of Tibati (Nnange, 1991) and it is a good
indicator of a large scale heterogeneous deformation
during dextral shear deformation. Kinematic indicators
characterizing early shear movement are visible in the
Koata mylonites (Mayo Daa river). They formed from
various gneisses, mainly biotite-amphibole or biotite-
garnet gneisses, and also massive or banded amphibo-
lites and granulites. These units are cross-cut by granitic
veins of different generations that include concordant
and oblique pegmatitic veins. Banded amphibolites or
granulites show a regular decimetric layering marked by
alternating feldspar or amphibole rich bands parallel to
the mylonitic foliation. This foliation strikes N60°E and
shows vertical dip. Sinistral shear movements within this
zone are indicated by: (i) F2 asymmetric folds consisting
of boudinaged granitic veins emplaced during simple
shear deformation, oblique to the layering (Fig. 3b);
and (ii) preferred orientation of feldspar phenocrysts
oblique to concordant syn-kinematic veins (Fig. 3c).
Fold axis and intersection lineation plunge 10–30° to the
south–west (Fig. 3c). This low dip angle of the fold axis
suggests either an intensive shear movement resulting in
the total reorientation of fold axis in the shear direction,
or folding of a flat-lying foliation. In porphyritic veins,
layering strikes either N60°E parallel to the mylonitic
layering, or N90°E oblique to it. The geometric relation
between the mylonitic foliation and the flow layering
indicate sinistral shear movement during the emplace-
ment of the vein (Fig. 3c). Indicators of dextral shear
movements are also evident in the Mayo Daa outcrops,
such as asymmetric boudins in granitic veins cross-cut
by C 0 shear planes (Berth
e et al., 1979), and mostly
210 V. Ngako et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 36 (2003) 207–214

Fig. 3. Microstructures related to sinistral shear movement in the CCSZ (Mayo Nda, West of Tibati). (a) CCSZ in Tibati area, drawn from
aeromagnetic map (Nnange, 1991), and location of the study zone; arrows indicate late dextral shear movement; (b) granitic vein showing sinistral
asymmetric profile, low plunging axis and axial plane mylonitic foliation striking N60°E; (c) stereogram showing sub-parallel orientation (N60°E to
N90°E) of magmatic flow fabrics in early concordant and late cross-cutting granitic veins. These directions correspond to extension and shortening
directions, correlated to D2 and D3 respectively.

N60°E to N80°E veins cutting across pre-existing lay-
ering (Fig. 3c). These structural relationships indicate
that their emplacement took place during a north–south
extension, different from that prevailing during the
sinistral shear event, and the vein chronology clearly
indicates a later dextral shear movement in this zone.
3.2. Sanaga fault
The Sanaga fault (Fig. 2) corresponds to a major
N70°E lineament determined by landsat remote sensing
in the south of the CCSZ (Dumont, 1986). At present,
however, the Lom mylonites (Soba, 1989) are the only
geologic evidence recorded for this fault. The oblique
orientation of the Lom Group to the shear zones and to
the Sanaga fault, and the position of the group within
the overlap zone of en-
echelon segments of the fault,
show that this group was deposited in a pull-apart
basin. Two main structural and metamorphic units were
identified in these units (Soba, 1989; Fig. 4): a poly-
cyclic unit, intensely deformed and metamorphosed to
staurolite-garnet micaschists, sillimanite-nodule gneisses
(known as ‘‘Lom bridge gneisses’’) and staurolite–chlo-
ritoid mylonites; a monocyclic unit, metamorphosed
under greenschist facies, includes the ‘‘Mari quartzites’’,
volcanoclastic sedimentary rocks (known as the ‘‘Betare
Oya schist’’), and polymictic conglomerates. The intru-
sive unit includes granites, monzonites and lamprophy-
 V. Ngako et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 36 (2003) 207–214 211

Fig. 4. Structural map of the Lom Group (Soba, 1989, reinterpreted). Monocyclic units associated to grabens: (1) orthogneiss; (2) Lom volcanoclastic
series; (3) polygenic conglomerates; (4) Mari quartzites. Polycyclic units: (5) staurolite micaschists; (6) Lom bridge gneisses; (7) staurolite and
chloritoid ductile mylonites. Intrusions with uncertain structural position: (8) granites (G2 ?); (9) granites and monzonites; (10) metalamprophyres.
Inset: location of the Lom Group as an extensional relay zone between two en-
echelon segments of the Sanaga fault; the opening of this basin
corresponds to sinistral shear movement along these major faults.

res which were mildly deformed during sinistral shear ing a southwest flow during sediment deposition (Soba,
movement. 1989).

3.3. Structure of the monocyclic unit 3.4. Structure of the polycyclic unit

The monocyclic unit (Fig. 4) shows syn-schistose
deformation in greenschist facies. Schistosity planes are
generally trending N70°E, except in the Ndokayo area
(west of Wakasso), where they strike N120°E. This
change of direction is linked to a regional asymmetric
fold coeval with dextral shear movements (Soba, 1989).
Deformation is heterogeneous in the ‘‘schists’’ as shown
by the occurrence of pre-kinematic massive and oriented
rock. Deformation in some massive rocks is indicated by
boudinaged hinges of epidote layers that, in high strain
facies, have generated a pseudo-conglomerate. True
conglomerates also exist in the group: they are poly-
mictic and show pancake shape pebbles indicating bulk
flattening of the rocks and high syn-schistose deforma-
tion. The Mari quartzite in the eastern part of the basin
represents a thick sedimentary sequence slightly meta-
morphosed and gently deformed by upright, open folds
with fracture cleavage. Primary sedimentary structures
are generally well preserved in these quartzites, and in-
clude oblique cross-stratifications, anastomosing beds,
flute-casts, load-casts and even currents marks indicat-
Two phases of deformation and metamorphism
characterize this unit (Fig. 4); the most prominent is
a strain-slip foliation formed during phase D2 . It is
marked by microlithons with remnants of S1 foliation.
The metamorphic parageneses consist of garnet, stauro-
lite, chloritoid and sillimanite nodules which show a
complex metamorphic history for this unit.
3.5. Structure of the intrusive bodies
Intrusive units of the Lom Group show heteroge-
neous deformation; this consists of the juxtaposition of
undeformed and mildly to strongly deformed rocks be-
longing to a single intrusive body.
The Wakasso (or Ndokayo) orthogneiss shows a
progressive change from deformed to less deformed
rocks. This gradient includes a zone with well preserved
magmatic fabrics, followed by an intermediate zone with
C_S fabrics which in turn is succeeded by a strongly
deformed zone with phyllonites, characterized by S_C
fabrics (Fig. 5a and b). A low precision Rb–Sr isochron
212 V. Ngako et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 36 (2003) 207–214
Fig. 5. Structure and kinematics of the Sanaga fault in the Lom re-
gion. (a) Alternating C_S mylonites and undeformed granite in the
Wakasso orthogneiss; the angular relationship between C and S planes
is consistent with sinistral movement. (b) C_S fabrics indicating
sinistral shear movement in the Wakasso phyllonites. (c) Intercalation of
an early mylonite band within the Djouzami phyllonites; both angular
relationship between mylonite and phyllonite foliations and sigmoidal
tension gashes indicate a sinistral shear movement. (d) Chronology of
tension gashes during progressive sinistral shear movement, showing
an early generation of veins, rotated parallel to the phyllonitic folia-
tion, and cross-cut by a later generation of N150°E veins. (e) N70°E
sinistral shear zone in the Kadei granite at Ngoura: sinistral shear
movement is indicated by the progressive inflexion of magmatic flow at
the contact with the shear zone; this magmatic flow is also folded and
cross-cut by a schistosity oblique to the shear zone.
of 614  41 Ma was reported on this syn-kinematic
granite (Soba et al., 1991).
Mylonites in the Djouzami granite (Lom bridge) de-
fine a N40°E shear zone alternating with obliquely
trending intermediate bands with N70°E foliation. An-
gular relationship between respective foliations define
a S_C fabric consistent with sinistral shear movement
(Fig. 5c). The intermediate band shows sigmoidal ten-
sion veins filled with quartz and chlorite consistent with
a shear movement. Several generations of cross-cutting
veins show anticlockwise rotation angles that are also
compatible with sinistral shear movement (Fig. 5d).
However, planar fabrics are more prominent than linear
ones and consist of biotite, chlorite–biotite and musco-
vite.
The Meiganga orthogneiss, located to the north of
the Sanaga fault, shows N30°E shear bands and con-
cordant pegmatitic veins. Kinematic indicators, such as
progressive anticlockwise inflexion of the foliation from
N60°E to N30°E at the contact with the shear bands
indicate sinistral shear movement. Cataclasite bands
also mark shear zone contact with pegmatitic veins.
These bands suggest a later reactivation of the shear
zone at shallower structural levels. The strong obliquity
of these shear zones to those in the Lom Group suggests
the existence of nearby zones of synthetic shear.
The Kadei orthogneiss south of the Sanaga fault, in
the Ngoura area, shows N70°E metric mylonitic bands
dipping 60°N. These bands cross-cut a homogeneous,
equigranular granite that shows a discrete sub-magmatic
planar flow, anticlockwise rotated at the contact with
the shear zone. This planar fabric is also cross-cut by
N110°E foliation planes, oblique to the shear zone, and
the resulting interference defines microlithons (Fig. 5e).
Magmatic foliation dips 20°, with variable dip direction
and the mineral lineation plunges 5–20° towards N155.
These structures characterize syn-shear emplacement of
the Kadei orthogneiss which yielded a whole-rock Rb–
Sr isochron age of 621  15 Ma (Soba et al., 1991). This
age is equivalent to that of the Ndokayo orthogneiss
obtained by the same method at 614 Ma, and both
ages could approximate the timing of the sinistral
shearing in central Cameroon.
4. Interaction between transtension and transpression
Sinistral shear zones of central Cameroon (CCSZ and
SF) interacted with thrust and extensional relay, res-
pectively.
4.1. Shear and extension
Structural data in central Cameroon have revealed an
early sinistral history for the CCSZ and the SF; the
Ndokayo and Kadei orthogneisses were progressively
emplaced during this relative displacement. This phase
of deformation is followed by dextral movements along
the shear zones during late Pan-African orogeny. So far,
the Pan-African dextral shear zones have been dated
only in the Poli Group where they are coeval with the
emplacement of the Kogue granite at 590 Ma (Bes-
soles and Trompette, 1980; Bassahak, 1988). The N50°E
shear zones of the Lom Group represent extensional
relays, oblique to the Sanaga fault, and both structures
define a transtensional structure similar to those de-
scribed in other tectonic environments (Wilcox et al.,
 V. Ngako et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 36 (2003) 207–214
1973; Reading, 1980; Woodcock and Fischer, 1986;
Sylvester, 1988). Therefore, this group was deposited in
a pull-apart basin. Structural and metamorphic features
of mono- and polycyclic units of the Lom Group suggest
that these units may successively represent grabens and
horsts formed during sinistral shear evolution (Fig. 4).
Monocyclic units deposited during the transtensional
event were gently folded during the late Pan-African
dextral shear movement. The polycyclic sequences
within the group may be interpreted either as pre-kine-
matic deposits, similar to the Yaounde Group, or as
remnants of a pre-Pan-African basement. The intrusive
units were probably emplaced during sinistral shear
movements, and thus correspond to syn-trough mag-
matic rocks.
4.2. Shear and thrusting
Tectonic evolution in southern Cameroon is charac-
terized by south–southwest verging nappes onto the
Congo craton (Ball et al., 1984; Jegouzo, 1984; N
edelec
et al., 1986). These nappes usually trend E–W and show
northward dips of about 20–30° and N–S to N20°E
stretching lineations. The metamorphism affecting these
nappes is characterized by a reverse regional gradient
consistently of increasing metamorphic grade from the
greenschist facies, at the base of the nappe, to the am-
phibolites and granulites in its inner part (N
edelec et al.,
1986; Nzenti et al., 1988). This metamorphic gradient is
linked to the exhumation of high grade metamorphic
rocks during early thrusting and thickening of the crust.
Metamorphic climax has been estimated at T ¼ 750–800
°C and P ¼ 10–12 kbar (Nzenti et al., 1988), and
metamorphic zircons have been dated at 620  10 Ma
(Penaye et al., 1993). This age is similar to that of sini-
stral shear zones of central Cameroon and constitutes a
chronologic argument for linking shearing and early
thrusting motions. Coeval movements and kinematic
linkage between major shear and thrust motion are
compatible with transpressive deformation models (Fig.
1; Harland, 1971; Wilcox et al., 1973; Woodcock and
Fischer, 1986; Sylvester, 1988), and suggest a N20°E
maximum stress direction during the tectonic evolution
of the Pan-African belt in Central Africa.
5. Conclusions
Tectonic evolution of the Pan-African belt in central
and southern Cameroon is characterized by transpres-
sion, because of coeval shear and thrust kinematic in-
teractions. The resulting structures include the N70°E
sinistral shear zones of central Cameroon (CCSZ and
Sanaga fault) and the granulitic and migmatitic thrust
sheets overriding the Congo craton. To the other hand,
the Sanaga fault bounds a pull-apart basin formed
213
during sinistral shear movement (transtension). The
Lom Group is partly composed of sedimentary deposits
and plutonic bodies related to this extension. Rb–Sr
ages of syn-shear intrusions (orthogneisses), at 621 and
614 Ma (Soba et al., 1991), could date the formation of
pull-apart sedimentary sequences in the basin. The data
suggest the Yaounde Group is pre-kinematic, and cor-
relates with the Poli Group, dated at 830 Ma (Toteu
et al., 1987).
The occurrence of extensional basins synchronous
with compressional tectonics in the Pan-African belt of
Central Africa is demonstrated for the first time in
Cameroon, although such basins are well known in the
correlative Braziliano belt (e.g. Trompette, 1994). The
existence of Pan-African syn-kinematic basins, deformed
and metamorphosed during late-kinematic phase, raises
the question of the origin of extensional structures in
orogenic zones, and in particular in the major Pan-Af-
rican shear zones of Central Africa. This is the case for
the Ife-Ilesha basin of marine affinity in Nigeria (Affaton
et al., 1991). Such syn-kinematic basins also exist in the
Himalaya mountain range (e.g. China Sea) where their
origin is related to lateral extrusion accommodating the
indentation of Asia by India (Tapponnier et al., 1986). A
similar tectonic setting is advocated for Central Africa
(Fig. 1, Ngako, 1999) where the shear zone pattern re-
sults from an indentation process probably generated by
the collision between the eastern Sahara craton (inden-
tor) and the Central African paleo-continent.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to address their warmest thanks to
Kodjo Attoh and de Brito Neves whose comments and
suggestions have considerably improved both the pre-
sentation and English of the original version of the
paper. Thanks to Jean-Jacques Motte and Christine
Vanbesien who have drawn most of the figures.
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