Nsimalen was built to supersede the old international airport in Yaounde that was getting absorbed by the rapid growth of the city, it was also too close to the oil deposits of SCDP ("Société Camerounaise de Dépôts Pétroliers" or Cameroon Oil Storage Company).
Foi construído para substituír ao antigo aeroporto internacional de Yaoundé que estaba sendo absorbido polo rápido crecemento da cidade e estaba moi preto dos depósitos de petroleo da SCDP (Société Camerounaise de Dépôts Pétroliers).