Joseph Ngwem has completed a move to Egyptian Premier League side Kahraba Ismailia, ending his spell as a free agent and returning to top-flight football on a contract running from 2026-02-02 to 2027-06-30. The 34-year-old Cameroonian left-back joins the Ismailia-based club after a brief period without a team, with his current market value listed at €250k.
The transfer sees Ngwem registered from the status of “Without Club” to Kahraba, meaning the club has secured an experienced defender without paying a transfer fee. The deal places him back in Egypt’s Premier League, a competition he already knows well from previous spells, and gives Kahraba a seasoned option on the left side of defence as they look to strengthen their squad depth.
Ngwem arrives as a natural left-back, officially listed as a defender and preferring his left foot, and is expected to add balance on the flank as well as experience in managing games. Standing at 1.78m and born in Douala, he brings the profile of a traditional overlapping full-back who can also provide defensive solidity, something Kahraba will hope to tap into immediately.
This move continues a long journey that has taken Ngwem across Cameroon, Angola and Egypt. After starting his senior career at Jeunesse de Bonamoussadi, he stepped up domestically with Unisport de Bafang, both in his home country. A first move abroad followed in 2016 when he joined Progresso do Sambizanga in Angola, marking his initial venture outside Cameroon and exposing him to a different style of African club football.
His performances there earned him a transfer to Egyptian side El Gouna FC in 2018, introducing him to the Egyptian Premier League for the first time. In Gouna he established himself sufficiently to later earn a move, in 2021, to Modern Sport Club, also in Egypt. It was at Modern that his market value climbed notably, peaking at €800k in early 2023 before gradually declining as he moved into his thirties.
Ngwem left Modern Sport Club in mid-2025, becoming unattached and officially listed as Without Club. During that period his value settled at €250k, reflecting both his age and his extensive experience in African top-flight football. The switch to Kahraba now ends that free-agent spell and ensures he will remain abroad rather than returning to the Cameroonian domestic scene.
For Kahraba, the acquisition of a player who has already logged several seasons in the Egyptian Premier League provides a low-risk, potentially high-value option. Ngwem has played in multiple African leagues and for several clubs, navigating different tactical systems and competitive levels, which should ease his adaptation to his new environment.
From a Cameroonian perspective, this confirmed transfer extends the career of one of the country’s seasoned journeymen outside its borders, underlining how established professionals from Douala and beyond continue to find roles in North African football. For Egyptian observers, the move brings back a familiar defender whose previous spells in the league offer a clear benchmark of what he can deliver.
With his contract now secured from 2026-02-02 to 2027-06-30, Ngwem enters what could be one of the final chapters of his professional career. The coming seasons at Kahraba will determine whether he can stabilise his market value, reassert himself as a reliable starter in the Egyptian Premier League, and leave a lasting impression in a league he knows well.
