CAMEROON THE PRIDEOF THEY ARE AND COMPETENT, INVENTIVE, MANAGERS, YOUNG, 34.6 million BO Cameroon set

December 2015/January 2016 •N° 34/35 to produce BUSINESS IN CAMEROON in 2016 Jalel Snoussi:“ benefit if increased if benefit industrial presence presence industrial in Cameroon would would Cameroon in MAJOR PROJECTS MAJOR Tunisian Tunisian AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY SERVICES FINANCE ENERGY MINING ” BUSINESS Daily business IN news from CAMEROON Cameroon .COM

IPHONE, IPAD, AMAZON, AND ANDROID APPLICATIONS BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

Yasmine Bahri-Domon

Strong human potential

The dynamism of a country’s youth is measured by its capacity to re- generate, create, empower itself and also lead the economy through all the structures and other initiatives of which it has charge. Cam- eroon has human resources envied by all. This is manifested by the presence of Cameroonians at every level. This strong potential is the pride of the green, red and yellow banner and is destined to play and plays a major role in the economic development of the continent and in companies and initiatives in place. This national pride gives Cameroon, through the image, reputation, path, skills, power and positions of its worthy sons scattered throughout the world, the po- tential and leadership that Cameroon represents.

The attested entrepreneurial vitality of this Cameroonian youth proves that the country is going through a generational turning point in the management of small and medium enterprises, within companies and that it is at the forefront of innovation of creativity. This generational change will become an important challenge and warrants closer attention, but also requires as much support as possible for these young entrepreneurs who wish to set up business- es or are taking over existing businesses to prosper. It is urgent to capitalise on this grey matter which is the pride of many globally recognised companies. The economic future of Cameroon depends on it.

To remain inactive, or be a passive observer would be the death knell for the dynamism of this growing and prosperous economy.

The Cameroonian government should diligently work at encour- aging this human wealth, so it does not hamper economic growth. Because indeed, the economic freshness of this youth enables the creation and development of new markets but also boosts produc- tivity. It is therefore mandatory to capitalise on this human resource, to transform and express this slumbering financial heritage which could result in a loss of income and dampen the creation of wealth and economic development.

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -3- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON CONTENTS

094A source of talents and competencies

BUSINESS IN CAMEROON 104Acha Leke Publisher Stratline Limited 104Bony Dashaco

Publication Director 114 Yasmine BAHRI-DOMON Arthur Zang

Contributors 114Vera Songwe Beaugas-Orain DJOYUM, Ayissi LE BEAU, Mamadou CISSÉ, Muriel EDJO, 124Freddy Tchala Brice R. MBODIAM. 124 Operator Jean Paul Melanga Médiamania Sàrl www.mediamania.pro 134Cyrille Nkontchou Design : Jérémie FLAUX, Web : Christian ZANARDI, 134Ferdinand Mouko Translation : Schadrac AKINOCHO, Bérénice BAH 144Alain Nteff Advertisement 194“Off the record, Paul [email protected] 144Tony Smith In Cameroon Biya told me ‘Mr. Chinje, Albert MASSIMB 154William Nkontchou you are free to ask me [email protected] Tel : 00 237 94 66 94 59 any question’ ” 00 237 77 75 13 98 154Patrick Mandengue 244Lawyer Akere T. Muna: Printing 164Mamadou Touré In Cameroon, “we have Rotimpres, Aiguaviva, Espagne 164Joseph Jean Aouda corruption fighting Circulation techniques that I find Albert MASSIMB [email protected] 174Ismaël Nzoueton audacious” Tel : 00 237 94 66 94 59 ou 00 237 77 75 13 98 174Christian Ngan 284“In Cameroon, Tunisian companies plan to invest Free – cannot be sold 184Idriss Nguepnang in the domain of health www.businessincameroon.com [email protected] 184Alain Nkontchou and medical care”

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32 39 PUBLIC MANAGEMENT P 38 AGRIBUSINESS P 42

43 47 FINANCE P 46 TIC P 49

50 57 ENERGY P 56 TRANSPORTATION P 58

59 64 65 INDUSTRY P 63 CSR P MINING P 66

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -5- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON THE CAST

ROGER NTONGO ONGUÉNÉ

Approximately FCfa 2 billion. That is what Roger Ntongo Onguéné, ex-Managing Director of Aéroports du Cameroun (ADC), and his co-defend- ants have taken from the coffers of this public capitals company, between 2003 and 2007. For these acts of “embezzle- ment of public funds in co-action, forgery of business and bank documents, fabrication of evidence and direct participation”; the ex-boss of ADC had been sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to 30 years in prison. This is the third sentence given to the ex-managing direc- tor of ADC since his dismissal on 15 June 2009. With his three sentences, Roger Ntongo Onguéné is, for the mo- ment, one of the main suspects of the Opération Épervier (Operation Hawk), a “clean hands” operation launched by the Cameroonian Head of State in 2006, in order to track down corrupt officials. Since then, former managing direc- tors, ministers and even an ex-prime minister have been caught.

CHARLES METOUCK

The Special Criminal Court (TCS), a special court of jurisdiction set up in Cameroon to try public funds em- bezzlers, sentenced Charles Metouck, who headed the Société nationale de raffinage (Sonara - National Refinery Company) for 11 years to 15 years in prison. During the delivery of the verdict on 21 October 2015 in Yaoundé, Mr. Metouck was found guilty of misap- propriation of public funds, to the tune of FCfa 500 mil- lion, when he was president of Cameroon’s only refinery. This is the 2nd sentence for Charles Metouck within 2 years. Indeed, since 23 April 2013, the ex-managing director of Sonara has been serving a 9-year prison sentence for de- struction of evidence. A few months earlier, he had been caught in his office, three days after his dismissal, destroy- ing documents. Accusations that Mr. Metouck continues to deny.

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MICHAËL NDOPING LUC MAGLOIRE MBARGA ATANGANA

On 13 October 2015, cocoa producers In order to forestall shortages and gathered in the Gics Enima and Ugi- speculation during the end of year sea- cam unions, in Nkoétyé, a town located son, the minister of Trade, Magloire approximately 10 kilometres from the Mbarga Atanga, has organised a se- regional capital of Sud-Caméroun, sold ries of meetings with operators from 60 tons of cocoa at FCfa 90 million. various production sectors, in order to What has been presented as an great ensure that the market will be regular- performance in this county was made possible during a bun- ly supplied during this period of increased consumption. dled cocoa sales operation organised by the National Cocoa Economic operators want to be reassuring, indicating that and Coffee Office (ONCC). available stocks should be largely in excess of the demand. According to Michael Ndoping, Managing Director of Thus, the oleaginous sector, announced vegetable oil stocks ONCC, in addition to bolstering the bargaining power of of approximately 40,000 tons for a monthly demand not producers against buyers, bundled sales “allow producers to reaching 12,000 tons. About 70,000 tons of frozen fish are respect best practices in terms of fermentation, drying and pack- also available, against a monthly demand of 20,000 tons. aging of the product”; all things which lead to better prices The Oil Professional Grouping (GPP) announced the up- during the marketing. coming distribution of 50,000 domestic gas cylinders, for housewives to avoid using oil stoves or wood fire during the end of year celebrations.

ANDRÉ SIAKA OMER GATIEN MALÉDY

The Cameroonian subsidiary of the Impressed with New Generation, a French oil group Total has just launch a programme from the Cocoa and Cof- competition “Starupper of the year” 2016, fee Inter-professional Council (CICC) which goal is to “identify, award and of Cameroon meant to attract young support the best company creation or devel- people to the cocoa production and opment projects for companies of less than 2 farms in the country, the World Co- years”. Candidates must be 35 years old coa Foundation (WCF) is considering or less. In Cameroon, “Startupper of the year” 2016 is spon- extending this action to other cocoa producing countries sored by André Siaka. President of the employers association in Africa, Omer Gatien Malédy announced. Indeed, the for 12 years, André Siaka, who has been Vice-President then Executive Secretary of CICC stressed, WCF requested and Acting President of Ecobank group, headed Brasseries du was granted authorisation to implement this programme in Cameroon, subsidiary of the Castel group, for 25 years. other cocoa producing African countries. “The winning projects will receive from Total Cameroon the Presented by some experts as the most innovative project in Startupper of the year 2016 label, financial aid, support from the cocoa sector in the past few years, New Generation has professional partners and a customised marketing campaign to also created followers within the EU commission. Accord- help promote their product or service”, Imrane Barry, the new ing to Mr. Malédy, the EU has expressed a lot of interest Managing Director of Total Cameroun, declared during the for this induction programme to cocoa culture for young press conference launch for this competition. people, which could be an excellent alternative to emigra- tion to Europe of young Africans from cocoa and coffee producing countries.

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -7- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON FOCUS

YOUNG, MANAGERS, INVENTIVE AND COMPETENT, THEY ARE THE PRIDE OF CAMEROON

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A source of talents and competencies Cameroonian universities gener- tive. Many of them sometimes for Cameroon are the hope of a ally do not figure in the different started their education in a small country with potentialities to be yet rankings of African universities. forgotten village, before finding exploited, but whose future could However, within the most globally themselves, generally through the hide many surprises for the most known multinational companies support of State grants, in the best sceptical. or international institutions, Cam- universities of the world, where eroonians, including those who their competencies have even some- In this feature, we will present a studied in the training schools of times led them to celebrity. sample of Cameroon’s pride, in the the country, are performing as well diaspora as well as in the country, as as their brothers from South Africa, Through their varied experiences, part of a casting which will surely from English-speaking Africa or their great ideas stemming from be disputed. The goal of our initia- the Maghreb, entities of the African the desire to change the world, tive is more to pay homage, without continent whose universities are of- they became worthy ambassadors exception, to these young manag- ten in the international rankings. for Cameroon in various sectors in ers, innovators, civil society leaders, Europe, in Cameroon itself, in the etc., who, sometimes unknowingly, Yes! Despite an education system United States, etc. Through their are building every day the image of which no-one doubts needs to be accomplishments, they contribute a country still trying to find its way improved, there are indeed several to raising high the tricolour flag in the concert of nations. Cameroonians who are talented, of their countries at the global ex- Brice R. Mbodiam competent, intelligent and inven- change meeting. These flag-bearers

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Acha Leke: the indomitable lion of the American firm McKinsey “Lions on the move”. Do you know it? Well, this is a report from the famous American firm McKinsey, published in 2010, and which decodes the most dynamic economies of the African continent. Among the authors of this report, of which a new edition is currently being prepared, is Cameroonian Acha Leke, from Fontem, in the North-West region. Having joined McKinsey’s sub-Saharan African head- quarters in Johannesburg in 1998 for an internship, Acha Bony Dashaco: Leke is now one of the 350 consultants of the firm on the African continent. With a degree in electrical engineer- ing from Stanford University, USA, “his corporate spirit the communicator and his bilingualism enabled him to surmount barriers which have stopped many others”, his fellow countryman Cyrille Nkontchou confided. distributing his At McKinsey, Acha Leke, 42 years, has mostly worked on the Nigerian economy. He even stayed there from 2010 messages in to 2013, for projects which enabled the local tax admin- istration to increase its revenues by approximately FCfa 420 billion. But, this Cameroonian financier is especially 22 African countries presented as one of “the architects of the Development Since 2002, Bony Dashaco is the CEO of the African programmes of Togo, Senegal and Gabon for French speak- Center for Marketing, Advertising and Research, or ing countries, and of Kenya Vision 2030 on the English Acmar Media Group, which he fully owns. With a pres- speaking side”. ence in 22 countries of Central and Western Africa, the In addition to finance and economy, Acha Leke is in- Acmar Agence is one of the first independent agencies terested in education issues. Indeed, with his Ghanaian for media consultancy in French speaking Africa. friend Fred Swaniker, he is one of the founders of the African Leadership Academy of Johannesburg, which Based on this presence whose fame keeps on growing on prepares in two years about one hundred young people the continent, this Cameroonian communicator is now from 43 African countries to join the best international dreaming of developing his communication company, in universities. order, we learnt, to be able to rival world known agencies “There have been three generations of African leaders who are still dominating the African market. before us: that of Nyerere and Nkrumah, who gained independence and built our States; that of General Abacha, Considering the performances in recent years, as well as who destroyed them; and that of Kagamé or Johnson the prospects available to his communication compa- Sirleaf, currently in power, who brought growth. This is ny, Bony Dashaco features, since 2014, in the Choiseul now the turn of my generation. We must bring prosper- ranking of the 100 African leaders of tomorrow. Ranked ity, particularly through intercontinental exchanges”, he 35th in Africa, the CEO of Acmar Media Group is the stressed. 2nd Cameroonian of this list.

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Arthur Zang created the Cardiopad, the first African medical tablet

Arthur Zang was made, on 2 July 2015 in Yaoundé, a Knight of the National Order of Valour. He thus be- comes, at 28 years, one of the youngest recipients of this award from the Cameroonian State. The medal came with a cheque of FCfa 20 million representing the special encouragement prize from the Head of State.

This money, we learned, will allow the young IT spe- cialist to complete the production of the first 100 copies Vera Songwe on a of his Cardiopad, the first African medical tablet for performing heart tests and remotely send the results, pedestal at the World which was set up through the ingenuity of this alumnus of the Ecole Polytechnique de Yaoundé. Though sought by industrialists and bankers wishing to take part in the Bank production and marketing of this device, Arthur Zang decided to give these first copies to the hospitals of his Director of Operations at the World Bank (WB) for Sen- country, already basking in the aura of his invention. egal, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau and Mauritania An invention which made him, on 24 June 2014 in since 2011, Vera Songwe, from Cameroon, has become London, one of the 5 recipients of the “Rolex Awards since 2015 the new Regional Director of the Internation- for Enterprise 2014”. 1,800 candidates throughout the al Finance Corporation (IFC) for Western and Central world took part in this competition. In 2015, the Cardi- Africa. opad inventor, who appears in the Choiseul ranking of In these new functions, even though she will continue “African leaders of tomorrow” since 2014, was among the to work with the Senegalese authorities who seem to 10 nominees for the 2015 Innovation Prize for Africa, have a particularly limited appreciation for her rigorous out of 925 entries from 41 African countries. This other methods as Operations Director for the World Bank, competition was organised by the African Innovation Vera Songwe will be more in contact with the private Foundation (AIF). sector, the IFC being the subsidiary of the WB specialised During the Africa-Development Forum, organised in in financing for the private sector. February 2015 in Casablanca, Morocco, Himore Medical, Having joined the WB in 1998, this Cameroonian fea- the start-up through which Arthur Zang developed his tures in the 2014 Choiseul ranking of “African leaders of Cardiopad, won the entrepreneurship trophy in the tomorrow”, which, according to the Choiseul Institute, “Innovation” category. So many distinction which do “identifies the women and men, 40 years old or less, who not however deter this “polytechnicien”, more than even embarked upon the path to success and whose ambition is focused in his goal: to remedy to the lack of cardiologists to bring Africa to the highest level of economic, social and in Africa through technology. cultural development”.

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -11- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON FOCUS

Freddy Tchala: a prominent tele-communicator Jean Paul Melanga at MTN managed a portfolio

The jury of the African Telecom People (ATP) Awards, which rewards entities and personalities who distin- of FCfa 1,500 billion guished themselves in the telecommunications sector, delivered its verdict on 8 October 2015 in Abidjan, on at Bank of Tokyo the sidelines of the 11th edition of the ATP Forum. The Cameroonian Freddy Tchala, Managing Director of MTN Côte d’Ivoire, was named best African telecoms Mitsubishi manager for 2015. However, it was his leadership at the head of the Congo Brazza subsidiary of MTN which was Almost unknown in his country, Jean Paul Melanga, rewarded, the president of the jury explained. 39 years old, is however the first Cameroonian (and 19th at the continental level) in the 2014 and 2015 rankings Within the MTN group, Freddy is the main flagbearer of the 100 young African leaders of tomorrow, published for Cameroon. By heading the leading telecoms company every year by the Choiseul Institute. Currently Managing in Côte d’Ivoire, he starts his 3rd rotation as Managing Director of Whitestone Finance, this young Camerooni- Director for the South African telecoms operator. He an has been living in London for 15 years. has also been Managing Director for MTN in Guinea, from 2008 to 2011. After his Guinean adventure, he was He was among others Manager of the African Desk of appointed to Congo Brazza and finally Côte d’Ivoire. the Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi between 2002 and 2015. But before starting this African journey, Freddy Tchala In this capacity, he managed a “portfolio of USD 3 billion learned his trade at the MTN subsidiary in his country of (approximately FCfa 1,500 billion) invested in Africa”, he origin, during 6 years and 4 months. He was there Mar- recently declared during the prestigious Crans Montana keting Director for 3 years, after being Trade Marketing forum, during which he gave a speech. As a reminder, the Manager and Custom Segment Manager. criteria for the selection of participants to this forum are A graduate of the Université Catholique d’Afrique mainly the quality of their work experience and experi- Centrale (UCAC), Yaoundé, where he studied marketing, ence in terms of leadership. social sciences, finance and econometrics, Freddy Tchala first worked at British American Tobacco. He was at the In Cameroon, his country, he has built a school and strategic post of Brand Manager between 1999 and 2002. invested in various other projects. According to Jean “Freddy is an exemplary manager, who masters commu- Paul Mélanga, before creating companies in Africa, it is nication techniques and marketing without forgetting his important to first invest in basic priority infrastructure leadership and very keen intellect”, Sekou Mohamed, one such as water, electricity, internet, etc., which are sorely of his colleagues at MTN Guinée, assures. lacking on the continent.

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Cyrille Nkontchou puts Private Equity in the service of education in Africa Headquartered in Johannesburg and London, the assets management company Enko Capital Management, founded by Cameroonian financier Cyrille Nkontchou, announced on 2 March 2015 that its special fund for Africa Enko Africa Private Equity Fund (EAPEF) ac- quired a minority shareholding in the Zambian financial services group Madison Financial Services PLC.

Launched in June 2014, Enko African Private Equity Fund is specialised in investing in private companies Ferdinand Mouko which have reached a maturity level covering a large spectrum of economic sectors in Africa. A graduate of in pole position at Sciences Po Paris and with a Masters obtained at Har- vard in 1997, Cyrille Nkontchou and his brother, Alain Nkontchou, were among the first African to have worked Danone in the financial market in London. Ferdinand Mouko is since this year the Country Manag- er for Danone in Côte d’Ivoire. This man in his forties, A former analyst at Andersen Consulting in France, thus leads the biggest subsidiary in sub-Saharan Africa then at Merryl Lynch in London, Cyrille Nkontchou of the Danone group, the global leader of dairy prod- launched in January 2014 Enko Education Investments, ucts. An appointment which instantly led to his entry to improve the quality of education in Africa. “Over 5 in the 2015 Choiseul ranking of “100 African leaders of years, we want to invest between USD 30 million (FCfa 15 tomorrow”, in which he holds the 99th position. billion) and 40 million (FCfa 20 billion) in private schools Before this, the graduate of Essec Douala, the first public to build a real group dedicated to the training of children Business school in Cameroon, was the Country Manager of the African middle class”, he confided. for Danone in Cameroon, his country, a post he had held since 2010. Before joining Danone, the Business, In addition to Amazing Grace Private School, a South Management, Marketing and Related Support services African school in which Enko Education Investments MBA holder worked for Nestlé. made its first investment, the education branch of Enko Capital also has in its portfolio the school group La Gai- Indeed, for more than 3 years, Ferdinand Mouko was the eté, well known in the Cameroonian capital. This school Brand Manager for the Nescafé brand at the Central and complex which is among the most prestigious of the Western Africa headquarters of the Swiss food industry country was founded by Justine Nkontchou, the mother group. Before that, between 2008 and 2010, he was Sales of the founder of Enko Capital. Director at Nestlé Cameroon.

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Alain Nteff: an IT specialist in support Tony Smith dreams of of pregnant women creating 20,000 jobs Young Cameroonian of 23 years, Alain Nteff won the Young African Enterprise Prize awarded during the through his tablets New York Forum Africa (NYFA), which took place in Libreville, the Gabonese capital, from 28 to 30 August 2015. Through this distinction, this young IT engineer and software pocketed a reward of €50,000, equivalent to approximate- Occupying the 72nd position in the top 100 of the 2015 ly FCfa 32.7 million, to develop his GiftedMom project, edition of “African leaders of tomorrow” edited by Cho- which made him known to the world in 2014. iseul Institute, Tony Smith is a young Cameroonian who Indeed, that year, Alain Nteff was among the laureates dreams big. Through Limitless Corporation, the start-up of the Anzisha Award, an international competition at specialised in the conception of tablets, software and the end of which young African entrepreneurs of less smartphones he founded and of which he is the CEO than 22 years, who have developed and implemented since 2011, he dreams of conquering Africa. innovative solutions to answer social challenges, or have initiated successful enterprises within their communities Established in the USA, this ex-Project Manager for are rewarded. Microsoft (2009-2011), has the ambition of creating Labelled GiftedMom, the discovery of young Alain 20,000 jobs in Africa, in the medium term, thanks to his Nteff is an application through which SMS are sent to IT products. Among those, we can find “Limitless Mind pregnant women living in rural areas, in order to remind Tab 3G”, which he describes himself as “a mini-laptop them the dates of their appointments for antenatal launched in 2011, which is combined with a smartphone, check-ups at the hospital. Thanks to this service, we all in a small format. It is a product designed and con- learned, the number of death following delivery has ceived in Cameroon. I hope to turn it into a Cameroonian been substantially lowered in areas where the project is brand and label”. implemented. The victory at the Anzisha Award enabled the young During the 2011 Promote fair in Yaoundé, the Cam- promoter of the start-up GiftedMom to take part, in eroonian capital, Tony Smith said he sold 600 tablets, 2014, in the World Economic Forum (WEF), the great which are also present on the Congo Brazza market. Sole event for economic operators from around the world. shareholder of Limitless Corporation until now, Tony During this meeting, he was able to create a partnership Smith, whose devices are being tested for the European with the food firm Nestlé, who became the “first client” market, has teams in Cameroon, China, Hong Kong and of his start-up, he explained. in the USA.

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William Nkontchou: a finance whizz at Emerging Capital Partners Patrick Mandengue Like his brothers Cyrille and Alain, William Nkontchou is also a high-flying financier. Since 2011 (he was then boosts sales at only 38 years old), he has been managing the Parisian office of Emerging Capital Partners (ECP), one of the leaders in the management if investment funds dedicated Unilever to Africa, with USD 1.8 billion in assets under manage- ment (approximately FCfa 1,000 billion). At less than 40 years, Patrick Mandengué has already The team led by this Cameroonian financier, who been through 4 multinationals. First, the Swiss food has taken an active part in the search for opportuni- industry group Nestlé where his stay was very short. ties, structuring, implementation and monitoring of Then, the telecoms group MTN International, for whose investments for ECP since 2008, “cumulates a winning Cameroonian subsidiary he worked for 9 years. Finally, experience of more than 10 years in the capital-invest- he moved to British Diageo where he worked for 3 years ment field, through more than 50 acquisitions of holdings before joining Unilever, a firm present in more than 100 in 45 African countries”. A performance which William countries worldwide, and where he is currently Director Nkontchou owes to an exceptional career in the Europe- for Central Africa. an finance field. Indeed, holding an MBA from the Harvard Business In this English-Dutch multinational, which is the fourth School and a graduate from both the Ecole Polytech- biggest food company worldwide in terms of volumes nique and Ecole des Mines of Paris, this native of after Nestlé, PepsiCo and Mondelēz International, Pat- West-Cameroon started his career at General Electric. He rick Mandengué is in charge of the distribution of mass then worked in succession for Merrill Lynch Investment consumer brands such as Signal, Lipton, Amora, Skip, Banking in London, which he joined in 2001, and Sindi- Cajoline, Rexona, Fruit d’or, Omo, Axe, Knorr… catum, a London corporate bank which he left for ECP. A graduate of Cornell University (Johnson Graduate “The American pension funds, who do not know how to School of Management) and the University of Pennsyl- locate African countries on the map have already taken the vania (the Wharton School), Patrick Mandengué, who decision to invest there. I hope to one day see institutional also received a certificate from the famous Massachusetts European investors, who for their part know the region, Institute of Technology (MIT), also attended the Univer- follow the same path”, William Nkontchou confided to sity of Douala (1997-2000). In 2015, he appeared on the Les Echos in 2011, full of confidence for the future of the subsidiary list of Future African leaders of the Choiseul continent. Institute.

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Mamadou Touré dreams of an Africa built by Africans

A former Investment Manager for sub-Saharan Africa at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Mamadou Joseph Jean Aouda: Touré left this subsidiary of the World Bank dedicated to financing for the private sector, to focus on Africa 2.0, which he founded and launched in 2010. This Pan the Cameroonian African civil society organisation has the ambition of becoming a real coalition of African leaders, for the building the West transformation of the African continent.

Thus, Mr. Touré has been diligently travelling around African railroad loop the world to push the cause of Africa. “Only 2% of energy projects have failed in Africa, while this figure stands at A Herculean task, massive costs. The construction of 10% in the USA”, Mr. Touré lamented on 26 October the West African railroad loop can only be described 2015 in Abuja during the “World Pension Summit Africa”. through superlatives. Not unusual for a project on which During this event on pension funds’ investments, Mam- Bolloré group will invest approximately FCfa 1,650 adou Touré pleaded for a portion of the USD 500 billion billion over the next 10 years. At the centre of this 2,700 available for African pension funds to be invested in the km-long railroad infrastructure linking 5 West African development of infrastructure on the continent. countries (Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger and Benin), is a Cameroonian civil engineer. His name: In addition of his lobbying activities within the Pan Joseph Jean Aouda. African civil society, Mamadou Touré, who previously worked for KPMG France and was an expert in merg- Since June 2014, while Director of fixed installations er-acquisitions at Fortis in France, has appeared in the at Bolloré Africa Logistics Cameroun (BAL), he was Choiseul ranking of “100 African leaders of Tomorrow” appointed “Manager of rail works as part of the construc- since 2014. He is also the CEO of Ubuntu Capital, a tion of the West African railroad”. On the different sites consultancy firm specialised in investments dedicated to of this railroad named “Blue Line”, this graduate of the Africa. Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Travaux Publics (ENSTP) and holding an MBA from the France Business School, is During the past 15 years, we learned during the “World coordinating teams of over 1,000 people on a daily basis. Pension Summit Africa”, Mamadou Touré “worked on Before joining the Cameroonian subsidiary of BAL, advisory missions and various investment operations in Joseph Jean Aouda first worked with the Cameroonian over 26 Africa countries”, for a total value of transac- public service, which he then left for Camrail, another tions exceeding USD 30 billion, equivalent to over FCfa subsidiary of the Bolloré group which manages the rail- 1,500 billion. road concession in Cameroon since 1999.

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Ismaël Nzoueton and “Sara” make life easier for companies through a simple clic Christian Ngan: king of the mouse of cosmetics made He is only 33 years old. He is part of the first class grad- uating from the Institut Universitaire des Techologies (IUT) Fotso Victor of Bandjoun, Western Cameroon, in Africa where he received a DUT in Telecom and Network En- Born in 1983, Christian Ngan is an industrialist and a gineering before continuing his studies at the Université financier. He is the CEO of the Madlyn Cazalis Group, de Paris XIII in France, from 2002. Today, he is the CEO a company designing and producing natural beauty of I-Dispo, a start-up launched in 2010, which offers products made from African raw materials. Madlyn concierge service and has a new generation of personal Cazalis Group operates in Central Africa with over 50 assistant called “Sara”. distributors (pharmacies, beauty institutes and stores). He also owns Goldsky Partners, a subsidiary of Madlyn This project was put in place after this Cameroonian Cazalis specialised in strategic and financial support for telecommunication specialist did a 4-month internship African companies. at the Founder Institute, located in Silicon Valley in the USA. He had then just been designated winner of the Before launching his own group which is also active Strategy National Award in France. In 2011, his start-up in real estate, Christian Ngan first worked for Société was chosen as offering “the most innovative service of the Générale, then as Investment Director at Findercod, an year”, during the “Grand Prix de l’Innovation de Paris” Parisian investment bank which he joined after his stud- organised by the Paris town council. ies at Panthéon Assa, then Panthéon Sorbonne.

A former Microsoft and British Telecom employee, Is- In 2014 and 2015, this young Cameroonian businessman maël Nzouéton, who is on the subsidiary list of “African was chosen by the American magazine Forbes, as one of Leaders of tomorrow”, is nowadays devoting his time the 30 young most promising entrepreneurs in Africa. entirely to his start-up which has representations in Since 2014, he has been featured in the subsidiary list Europe, Africa and the USA. Through its innovation and of the Choiseul African Leaders of the future. Recently efficiency, I-Dispo today has in its portfolio clients such designated Young Business Leader of the Year in Western as Microsoft, Renault, SFR, Avril, Orange, MTN and Africa, Christian Ngan is also among the top 35 young Airtel. Since 2012, I-Dispo has opened a subsidiary in businessmen under 35 for 2014, a ranking established by Cameroon. Young People in International Affairs (YPIA).

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -17- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON FOCUS

Idriss Nguepnang dreams of his Tchop et Yamo as a Cameroonian Mc Donald’s “I have been asked what I would say to Bill Gates if I met him. I replied that I will make him taste our ‘bean doughnut’ to know his opinion of it”, Idriss Nguepnang confided to Le Monde Afrique. After working in France, Germany and Switzerland, this Cameroonian of 38 years Alain Nkontchou: the went back to his country and decided to launch Tchop et Yamo (eat and enjoy in local slang, Editor’s note) in June 2011. Pan African banker The oldest of the Nkontchou siblings, which has 4 fi- This is a fast food chain with restaurants in Douala and nanciers including his sister Mireille, Alain Nkontchou Yaoundé, the two main cities in Cameroon. In these res- was the one who passed the finance bug to his brothers taurants, the main menu is the beignets-haricots-bouil- William and Cyrille. With a strong experience gained lie (BHB – doughnut made from boiled beans), a very over many years in the London financial world, Alain popular local recipe that the Thop et Yamo shops have Nkontchou has been since June 2015 part of the Board taken from the streets of the big cities and villages and of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), the par- transplanted to modern, well decorated settings with ent company of the Pan African banking group Ecobank. free Wi-Fi connection. At 51 years, Managing Director of Enko Capital Man- Since the opening of these restaurants, the idea has been agement LLP, an asset management company focusing very well received, to the point that the promoter is now on investment opportunities in Africa, headquartered dreaming of quick expansion. Indeed, Idriss Nguepnang in London and Johannesburg and co-founded with his has the ambition of opening a new location every quar- Cyrille Nkontchou. Ex-Managing Director of Macro ter, over a period of 8 years. Which would in total give Global Trading Group at Crédit Suisse, in London, Alain him 32 restaurants, with each employing 20 people. Nkontchou is among the first African to have gone into A quick calculation and this means that, the expansion the capital markets in London in the 80’s. programme of Tchop et Yamo should general over This financier who is the nd2 Cameroonian to sit on 500 jobs during the next decade, against 70 employees the Board of ETI after the famous André Siaka, studied currently. To make this dream a reality, the promoter of electronic engineering (Université de Paris VI, Supélec the Cameroonian McDonald’s is negotiating opening his and Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris), finance capital to the Société Africaine de Participation (SAPA), and accounting. He was General Manager at JP Morgan a investment company owned by the Cameroonian and Chase & Co, still in London. He was at the time only banking group Afriland First Bank. 30 years old.

-18- December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 INTERVIEW BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

“Off the record, Paul Biya told me ‘Mr. Chinje, you are free to ask me any question’ ”

Meeting with Eric Chinje, President of the African all citizens. It is not possible to only Media Initiative. The ex-Editor in Chief at CRTV favour CRTV. The channel has its trusted viewership. You only need was one of the few Cameroonians who periodically to gather CRTV, Canal 2, STV, Equi- interviewed President Paul BIYA. He reveals what was noxe and the others to reach almost behind the scenes of these interviews and reviews his all the population. rich career at CRTV as Editor in Chief, at the World BIC: Why, in your opinion, is Pres- Bank as the Bank’s spokesperson on African issues, at ident Paul Biya not giving more in- terviews or press conferences? the African Development Bank as Director of Foreign EC: Maybe because it is more diffi- Affairs and Communication, and at the Mo Ibrahim cult to organise. Foundation as Strategic Communications Director. BIC: Is it because it is difficult that he should not do it? EC: No, not at all. He must abso- Business in Cameroon: Let us talk EC: You will force me to say things lutely do it. Why does he not do it about your career as a journalist in I do not want to say. I do not be- with CRTV anymore? I think be- Cameroon. In a recent interview, lieve that all the Cameroonian cause CRTV is not what it used to you said that back then, President people still watch CRTV today like be when there was less competition. Paul Biya knew how to use the tel- they did back in the day. Nowadays, evision to communicate. Why does there is a wide choice of television BIC: Is it not because he is not the he not do the same these days? channels, even foreign channels. To same man anymore? According Eric Chinje: When I was here in reach the population, the President to you, who has been very close Cameroon, the only link with the must gather all media. Before, it was to him, is it not because he has population was CRTV. It was easy much easier. changed? to go through one media only and EC: The goal of the President was reach the population. I am sure that BIC: So, the president should do to reach the population. the President is looking at the me- nothing because it is too compli- dia landscape and wondering: who cated to work with many media BIC: Are the people still his prior- can help me reach the citizens? outlets? ity? EC: No. There are press conferenc- EC: I have not met the president for BIC: Is CRTV not able to be this es for the President of the Repub- about 20 years. I do not know what link between the President and his lic, the Prime Minister, etc. This is he thinks about this contact with the people? what must be done now, to reach population.

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -19- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON INTERVIEW

BIC: Young journalists and young such topic was off limits. As soon as would sometimes reflect. I would Cameroonians would like to know I would see the President, I would tell myself, I have a unique oppor- how the interviews with Paul Biya say Mr. President, your advisers tunity to bring the attention of were prepared. Was it the president have asked me not to ask such and the president to some things that who requested for the interview? such question. He would reply: “No, are not going well. My colleagues EC: It was simple. There was noth- no. Let’s go! Mr. Chinje, you are free Barbara Etoa, Alain Belibi and the ing in particular. I was called when to ask me any question you have”. others are still around! They can the President was available and I That is how it went. confirm it. I would ask them what would go. I would check with some question they thought I should ask friends and colleagues to know BIC: If you had to go through it the President. what the main issues were at the again, would you feel more free? time. And the President’s entourage EC: Absolutely! Even back then, be- BIC: If you had the opportunity back then would tell me such and fore going to meet the President, I to interview President Paul Biya

-20- December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 INTERVIEW BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

“As soon as I would ble of leading this country. After you, Mendo Ze who purchased my plane see the what will happen? Leave power and ticket. So I left. I did 3 months at president, support the person who will replace CNN. CNN wanted to recruit me. I would say Mr. Pres- you. Take the high road and do not I said no! I could have stayed. I said ident, your let these phonies who want to protect a lot of things have happened in my advisers their interests continue to deceive you country and I absolutely needed to have asked me not to by leading you in the wrong direc- go back. That was still in 1991. One ask such tion. Leave the seat for someone else”. week before my return to Came- and such question.” That is a question I would like to roon, I got a call from Harvard Uni- put to the President. versity, offering me a scholarship. I was not particularly excited. First of BIC: Do you think he will hear you? all, I ask the gentleman “I never ap- EC: President Biya is a very intel- plied for a scholarship. How can I be ligent person! I have had some ex- granted a scholarship when I did not periences with this president and apply for it?” I tried in vain to come

“I would say to him: ‘Mr. President, if you love the country, prepare it for the time after you.’ ”

these experiences comfort me in the back. My departure from Came- thought that Biya, deep down, is a roon was planned by God, because democrat. I could tell you these an- I did not do it. ecdotes, but it would take too much time. The President has done some BIC: How did the transition from things which reassure me. the World Bank to AfDB come about? BIC: What are these things? EC: I must say, I was getting a bit EC: (Silence). Wait, you will read tired with the methods of interven- my book. tion of the World Bank in Africa. I thought the African Development BIC: How often did you interview BANK only has Africa as its scope. President Biya? If I go there, I will only deal will EC: I do not remember exactly, but Africa. Unfortunately, once I joined I think we had on average 2 inter- the AfDB, I realised that AfDB is a views per year. But, there were years kind World Bank on its own and when it was only one interview. I was not performing as well as at the WB. For me, the development nowadays, and you were told to- BIC: You left Cameroon in 1991. of Africa was not at the heart of morrow, you are interviewing him, Was it an involuntary departure? AfDB’s concerns. what questions would you ask him? EC: Yes. Absolutely. I did everything EC: I really hoped for it, but I did not to leave the country. I can tell BIC: How do you explain that? not get in touch with his advisers. you about that very quickly. I left EC: After a few months, I was I would say to him: “Mr. President, here to go to CNN. CNN invited convinced that the AfDB’s presi- if you love the country, prepare it for me for 3 months. After an intensive dent I met when I got there, Mr. the time after you. Leave power and year (1990 beginning 1991), I was Omar Kabbaj, was not interested see how Cameroon runs. If you love very tired. I asked the Managing at all in the development of Africa this country, do it! Do you only want Director at the time Mr. Gervais and more precisely sub-Saharan to leave when Cameroonians no Mendo Ze, if I could go out of the Africa. He is Moroccan. During the longer love you? People come to tell country to rest. He told me Yes that 10 years he led this institution, he you that you are the only one capa- it was a good idea. And it was even managed to decrease the commit-

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -21- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON INTERVIEW

ment of the managers in the insti- the intellectually curious who “Cameroo- that, in Latin America, develop- tution. I was totally discouraged. want to see how development nians will ment projects were good enough not eternally theories are applied throughout accept what to be financed, whereas in Africa, BIC: Based on what you are saying, various countries. Those really in- the World we could never find anything and Bank is you were at odds with the work terested in development amount saying. we had to do everything ourselves. methods of these international or- to only 5%. Africa does not repre- We must Which was untrue. It was because ganisations. How is Africa seen in sent much for those guys at World impose our the African managers would easily policies on these different organisations? Bank. The World Bank does not the WB. agree. The WB would come with EC: Africa is not respected. I would respect Africa. It is true that today Not the little funding. Very quickly, they often say it to my colleagues. 75% some Africans have reached po- opposite.” would only find ministers who of those who worked at the World sitions of responsibility and it is were looking at this money and Bank were bureaucrats who were getting better. But, generally, the not at all interested in all the con- looking for and found work. And World Bank was coming to Africa ditions the WB was asking for and every day, they are fighting to go to impose its laws. they would sign. higher up in the system. 10% are The reason we were giving out was BIC: Did this impression change with the African managers that are “75% of those who worked at the now at the WB? EC: Absolutely, the perception is changing. Cameroonians will not World Bank were bureaucrats who were eternally accept what the World Bank is saying. We must impose our looking for and found work. And every policies on the WB. Not the oppo- site. They must not come and say, day, they are fighting to go higher up you will build a road in this place. Let us really prepare our projects well and go to the WB. This be- in the system.” comes our project.

-22- December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 INTERVIEW BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

BIC: What motivated you to leave AMI to the level where AMI can what of the young Cameroonian AfDB for the Mo Ibrahim Founda- pay me a salary and clear my arrears who is worth nothing? tion? which amount to FCfa 100 million. EC: Absolutely! At his level, he EC: Mo Ibrahim and his people And AMI will give me that one day can continue with smaller actions. were contacting me for months. thanks to my efforts. So, the idea I do not get discouraged. As we What really interested me was the comes first. Search for and work are speaking, those very friends I Mo Ibrahim Governance Index. on your concept which will make a worked with have another project That document was of real interest difference in your environment, the at the Office of the Prime Minister. to me. I thought that if we took this money will follow. We are fighting for the USA to give document and worked on it with The second piece of advice is activ- Cameroon a humanity monument. African civil society, with the media ism. You must remain committed, It is about the creation of A small and public authorities it was possi- but conscious. Education in Came- town in Cameroon with hotels and ble to improve governance. I devel- oped a strategy on this document. But, when I joined the Foundation, Mo Ibrahim was no more interest- “Unfortunately, once I joined the AfDB, I ed by this work. After 3 months, I started to think it had been a mis- realised that AfDB is a kind World Bank take on my part. After one year, I left. But we kept a very good rap- port. We parted on very good terms. on its own and I was not performing

BIC: So how did you find yourself as well as at the WB. For me, the at AMI? EC: The position at the African Me- development of Africa was not at the dia Initiative is one I accepted with a lot of difficulty. Because I knew that it would require a lot of from me. heart of AfDB’s concerns.” And this is what has been happen- ing. 2 weeks ago, I had a problem of roon is bad. Let us be honest about other infrastructure. We have al- overexertion in Paris. Thankfully, it. But let us say it while bringing ready found the land with the help I was immediately admitted. It is a up ideas and solutions. There is no of the Prime Minister who supports position requiring 18 hours of work point in saying it only because you the project. The Head of State also per day. I did not know that at my want to find fault with a minister or supports the project. We are not age, I would be working like that. a government. stopping. This is part of the actions But, I am passionate in what I do. we are promoting to support Cam- BIC: What are your projects for eroon. BIC: What is the MOST important Cameroon? advice you could give to young EC: I always have projects for Cam- BIC: For when the return to Cam- Cameroonians and young Afri- eroon. We brought some Ameri- eroon? cans? cans to Cameroon who did their EC: (Silence) I do not know. When EC: Two things maybe. First, stop DNA test and found out they had the Board of AMI reached out for complaining. Act. When I joined a Cameroonian origin. We had a this position, I told them one year, the company I am currently head- whole programme. We must have because I want to go back home ing, it was at a non-existent level. had already close to 3,000 “Camer- and invest myself in the life of my Not a penny in the coffers of this icans” who have already visited country. Once there, I found what institution. There were no inves- Cameroon. I found and I had to tell them that tors. But, I transformed the compa- I would stay another three years. I ny. Everybody was asking me, why BIC: What did not work? will be there until 2017. are you staying here? Right now, EC: Some people prevented us from we are taking off. Because I said, it moving forward in the project, de- BIC: After that, we will be waiting is the idea before the financing. I spite the support of the President of for you in Cameroon… worked on the idea. I had nothing. the Republic. EC: I hope so. I have been working without salary for 15 months at AMI. It is a chal- BIC: If you, Mr. Chinje, people Interview by Beaugas-Orain Djoyum lenge I put to myself. I will bring prevent you from moving forward, et Assongmo Necdem

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -23- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON INTERVIEW

Lawyer Akere T. Muna: In Cameroon, “we have corruption fighting techniques that I find audacious”

The famous cameroonian lawyer, On the legal side, for example, I BC: In your opinion, how should ex-Vice President of Transpar- sometimes send a lawyer from the government support young in- ency International, and ex-Presi- Yaoundé to Maroua to get a court novators in the ICT field? dent of the Economic, Social and order. However, in the USA, most ATM: Every time the Indomitable Cultural Council (Ecosoc) of the court orders are available on- Lions or Lionesses are playing, we African Union (AU), maintains line. From Cameroon, I can be in hear about bonus payment prob- that Cameroon is and remains a Yaoundé and get the court orders lems. What is preventing us from country full of potential, despite from the USA in minutes. Do I have rewarding excellence without occasional governance or corrup- to leave Yaoundé to file some docu- problems? We should have a real tion problems. ments in Maroua? Only to get a re- system which values excellence in sponse after two weeks. However, I youth in various sectors of sports, Business in Cameroon: Why a could easily do it all online. ICT are artistry, etc. This is what pushes lawyer such like you, active in the Governance and justice fields, is involved in the ICT sector to the point of organising a forum on this “We should have a real system which values topic on 19 November in Yaoundé? excellence in youth in various sectors of sports, Akere T. Muna: I believe that ICT can play a role in governance. I got artistry, etc. This is what pushes people interested in ICT because of the eProcurement programme of the to improve.” government implemented by the ministry of Public Procurement. This is in truth something I have here to make like easier. How can people to improve. When we see been asking for a long time. The ICT help us? How can ICT become what people can do with ICT to- eProcurement system will abate all a growth engine ? day throughout the world, one can doubts connected to the national Having ministries invest in a unique wonder why we are not really sup- public contract awarding system. and common way in the ICT sector porting our innovators. What are You have recently been made aware will improve the current situation. the IT software we have created, that some civil servants have four I am not an ICT expert, but we are the applications? We have streets registration numbers. In my opin- not inventing anything. Through still without names. How could ion, ICT could solve at least 60% of this forum, we hope to determine ICT help us manage that? There the governance issues. Including the what we can do immediately to de- are Cameroonians who know how associated corruption. That is why I velop the Cameroonian potential in to do that, who can find solutions am interested in this matter. terms of ICT. to these issues. These are so many

-24- December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 INTERVIEW BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

Akere T. Muna: “ICT are here to make like easier. How can ICT help us? How can ICT become a growth engine ?”

questions which should interest through it and makes life very easy Personally, I think if we do not the public authorities. for people who comply normally. catch up with ICT now, we will be Especially when the government left behind. It is not because people BC: At the end of the forum on ICT has a ministry in charge of prima- do not master ICT that they should you organised, you suggested har- ry education, another in charge of think it is not important. It is dan- monising the ministries policies in secondary education, another in gerous to think like that. We must term of ICT. What could be the im- charge of tertiary education, etc. I have a clear policy in terms of ICT pact of such a measure? am sure that there is a way to inter- and we have to put the experts in ATM: Let us take an example! In connect these ministries to facilitate charge of it. It is true that there will the identification process for mo- the life of regular citizens who are always be corrupt people to be wea- bile telephone subscribers, if a being somehow penalised. I think ry of. We just have to take the neces- Cameroonian registered with a that IT and ICT will really help us sary measures in order to avoid the fake identification card, how would a lot. mess they create. the mobile operator know whether it is a fake ID? If there was a device BC: Should the populations be BC: You have been to many coun- enabling MTN or Orange to enter afraid of ICT because of personal tries thanks to your various inter- your name in the system for verifi- data which are today available to national positions. What are the cation, it would be so much easier. the digital economy operators? best initiatives in terms of ICT What is preventing from having ATM: It is true that some of my which left an impression on you a system where the national ID generation are afraid of ICT. I re- and which could be replicated in card issued by the police, the car member when in 1973 I was com- Cameroon? registration, the land title if you ing back to Cameroon for holidays. ATM: I will the example of Rwan- have one, the driving licence, your I brought a small calculator from da, starting with a story. It was on a taxpayer ID, all issued by different ministries, will be available on a unique platform. If someone goes “If you send me to the USA to talk to businessmen to the town hall to request for a death certificate to take the money and encourage them to come invest in Cameroon, from your salary, the database will notify that a salary is being paid I will go.” to a dead person and the payment will be interrupted. the USA for my father. He took 10 Saturday and I had to urgently go to I just attended an event organised digits that he added and multiplied Rwanda on Monday for an import- by the Medical Association of Cam- by working it out by hand, and then ant appointment with President eroon and its president said that did the same operations with the Kagame. While I was wondering there are doctors who have signed calculator. Only after that did he tell whom I should contact directly to death certificates to enable families me: “Wow! Your machine is really quickly get a visa, I was simply told: to have access to life insurance pre- correct!” You see, this is a culture, “Go online and request for a visa”. miums. There are people who falsi- a period, a reflex. I simply think I then applied only and on Mon- fy medical certificates stating that that there is a learning process to go day, once at the airport, paid USD people were sick when they were through. And we are lucky that peo- 50 and that was it. It was extraor- not. When there is a system where ple become confident when they see dinary! In less than 10 minutes, all ministries are interconnected, it is that others are getting with thanks was done. We could implement this difficult for fraudsters to manage to ICT. system in Cameroon. They already

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -25- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON INTERVIEW

have it in Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, ATM: No. The biggest issue I have Cameroonian section of Transpar- and recently Gabon. is when I am talking with foreign ency International. Then, we were The other thing that impressed me investors. They always say they do certified, we went to the Board to in Rwanda, it is the declared in- not understand Cameroon. I had be elected Vice-President of Trans- tention of the public authorities to a client who wanted to quickly set parency International. In the very follow a certain path. This helps the up a company because he had a ap- first ranking, 99 countries were populations understand that this is plication to make. We were ready in listed. We were the first, the most the way forward. And when a deci- 2-3 days. The statutes were ready, corrupt country. This happened 2 sion is taken, it is implemented. In the notary worked fast. But, when it or 3 more times. It was at this time Cameroon, we are constantly under was time to get the registration cer- that I invited in Cameroon Dr Hei- the impression that when a poli- tificate, we were told: “No. This is a gen who was then president of TI. cy is set up, at the beginning, it is foreign company, you need to get When I was talking about corrup- optional. When people see that it approval”. We go back to the Trade tion in Cameroon, I was labelled as is optional, they start complaining, Ministry to apply for the approval. an opponent to the regime. I lost when they complain, it is decided to We lost 2-3 weeks. clients who were here to deal with suspend the policy for one or two At the same time, the government the State. But, I persisted and we years, and then we give it up. You is fighting to get a better ranking created the corruption fighting ad know for example that in Rwanda in the Doing Business. This year, hoc Committee. Lawyer Akere T. Muna: “Personally, I think if we do not catch up with ICT now, we will be left behind.”

there are no plastic bags. When you we went further down the ranking. I even asked why it was called a get to the airport with a plastic bag, I wonder how one can want one committee, I was told that “corrup- they take it away. You will not find a thing and its opposite at the same. tion is something that passes”. To- single plastic bag in Rwanda. Kigali There are countries such as Senegal day, we have a structure specialised is very clean! and many more, where in 24 hours in the fight against corruption cre- you can register your company. It is ated by a law. It is a good thing. If BC: In the current state of affairs, possible. What is a company really? there is assessment to make, I would shouldn’t the State allow other mo- It is just about being identified as say that we moved from a period bile operators to install optic fibre? practicing a certain type of trade. where we putting our heads in the ATM: In the age of competition, a When it is time to pay taxes, they sand to a period where we acknowl- player cannot be a referee. If Camtel know who you are and what you edge that it is a major problem, is building the optic fibre infrastruc- do. You can know who the promot- an obstacle to development. Even ture and at the same time market- ers are. more, we have corruption fighting ing it to operators and subscribers techniques which I find audacious. and it has its preferred partners, it is BIC: You are known as the person When I travel abroad, I always defy not possible. The higher the cost of who put Cameroon twice in a row people to show me a country in the the optic fibre, the higher the price as the most corrupt country in world with as many senior person- charged to the user. There is a need the world in 1998, while you were alities in prison. to open the market or even create as working with Transparency Inter- In prison in Cameroon, there is a suggested by some experts, a struc- national, which even earned you prime minister, a General Secretary ture to manage the infrastructure. some enemies. What is today your of the Office of the President, many There is a need for real referees. view on the progress of the fight ministers, managing directors of against corruption in Cameroon? public companies, etc. I do not BC: Is the government policy in ATM: When we were first ranked as know any African country with as terms of ICT likely to encourage the world’s most corrupt country, many senior officers in prison. This investments in this sector? this ranking led me to create the thus proves that there is a desire to

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fight against this plague. But I think ment, you have to be careful (…) eroon) to the Boulevard du 20 Mai. the system remains the same. We I am not saying that it is too bad I see all these young job seekers. If have a systemic problem and if the for those innocents who have been you send me to the USA to talk to problem is not solved, we will re- jailed. I am saying that it is impossi- businessmen and encourage them main in the same place. We are pro- ble to not have such cases (…) to come invest in Cameroon, I will gressing on the sanction level, but if go. Our country is a country full of the level remains the same, we will BIC: How does one move from be- potential. And it is true! I will tell still be dishing out sanctions. For ing a lawyer abhorred by the State, them. And if I am told, your coun- example there is article 66 of the because he denounces corruption, try is corrupt, I will reply that is why constitution on the disclosure of to being a lawyer the interests of I want you to come. assets which is still not been applied the Cameroonian State in the USA? Because, the more you will invest after 20 years. I think we should ATM: I am a lawyer and if a client in a country, the more people you concentrate more on prevention retains my services, I do my job. will reach, the more the public au- and prevention happens through But, many Cameroonian prison- thorities will think that if you leave, a thorough cleaning of the system. ers have asked me to defend them, the losses that the Treasury will ac- We need to audit the system to be I refused. Because, in the current count for due to taxes will increase. able to move forward. Otherwise, state of affairs, I am Cameroon’s So this will create a bigger lobby. If the same causes will generate the lawyer. So, I cannot be lawyer of big companies like Google, Face- same effects. Cameroon on the one hand and book and others get established in defend those who have accused of Cameroon, and 30% of taxes come BIC: What do you say to those who think that jailed senior officials are political prisoners and not corrupt people, or that they have misappro- “I do not know any African country with as many priated assets of the State? ATM: My answer to this question senior officers in prison. This thus proves that there is simple. If you think you are in a bad political situation, be careful, is a desire to fight against this plague [of corruption]. because when we start looking for corrupt people, this will be a good But I think the system remains the same.” reason to catch you. I had a client about 25 years ago. I went to visit him in prison, I found him hand- misappropriation of public funds from them, who will be the first to cuffed and shaved. He was a respect- on the other hand. Moreover, I had benefit? I am not even talked about ed senior official in prison. In fact, similar problems in Nigeria. At the the jobs they will generate. So let us he was drinking too much and had beginning of my work with Trans- be careful! reprimanded the prison guards. He parency International, I had prob- In Indonesia, army generals had was then treated as the violent pris- lems with TI. Because, I was re- misappropriated funds. Huge sums. oners. Before that, he was subjected tained by the Abacha family in the You know what they did? They in- to a body search. What was found in trials against Mohamed Abacha. I vested in their own country and his pocket? A pack of Indian hemp. had to drop the case three months built factories. When the fight When I met, I told him: “according later simply because of this conflict against corruption started, nobody to you, you are here because of po- of interest. wanted to go after these generals. litical reasons. But the guys here who So, as a legal defence for Cameroon, Why? Because they had become are accusing you have a very good we are working without problems. heavyweights, some employing reason now with this pack of can- I do not have any issues with the 5,000 people, others were hav- nabis. They are forgetting the accu- activities I partake in as a militant ing 10,000 employees, some even sations and taking this to condemn of the civil society and the practice 25,000 employees. But, in our coun- you”. of my profession of lawyer. A jour- try, we do the opposite. Our broth- So, it is true, in this kind of environ- nalist once asked me: “How can you ers, when they steal from the State, ment, if you are in a bad position be part of delegation from the State it is to build a castle in their village with the power, you will be caught. of Cameroon going to the USA to where nobody lives, or to stash the It is possible that some people are convince investors to come to Cam- money in tax havens. there for political reasons. I do not eroon?”. I replied: “you have com- know. But, there are real cases of pletely missed the point”. I go out Propos recueillis par corruption and in such an environ- every 20 May (Labour day in Cam- Beaugas-OrainDjoyum

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -27- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON AMBASSADOR OF THE MONTH

“In Cameroon, Tunisian companies plan to invest in the domain of health and medical care”

Interview with Jalel Snoussi, the new Tunisian Ambassador to Cameroon who explains why the Cameroonian health sector inter- ests Tunisian companies so much. He takes the opportunity to de- scribe the state of cooperation be- tween the two countries. Business in Cameroon: The Tu- nisian laboratories Teriak are re- launching production of the Cam- eroonian laboratory Cinpharm, of which they have taken control. What experience can Tunisia bring to Cameroon in this domain? Jalel Snoussi: Teriak Laboratories, subsidiary of the “Kilani” group, a major player in the Tunisian phar- maceutical industry, has already come to Cameroon by investing in two big projects in Douala. The first is an industrial venture, buying the Jalel Already, the group plans to set up, ing. Its expertise and know-how in Snoussi, pharmaceutical production unit Tunisian in time, a second unit of cosmetic this domain are recognized world- Cinpharm. And the second com- Ambas- product marketing in Yaoundé. wide, in the sense that the coun- mercially oriented, by investing in a sador to The investments of the “Kilani” try exports throughout the world Cameroon. cosmetic products marketing unit. group have thus opened the way, according to international norms These two units will soon be inau- which will incite other Tunisian which have stringent requirement gurated. companies to establish themselves levels. Tunisia has 40 production Thus, the industrial and commercial in Cameroon and to invest in co- units in respect of human medi- installation of Teriak in Cameroon operation with Cameroonian part- cine and six units in the veterinary is not a proposal, it is in fact a reali- ners. In the same or other sectors, medicine sector. Local, public or ty. And I believe that its officials are the spread of sectors is wide. private production covers 60% of not intending to stop there. Other national needs. projects are being studied, in Cam- BIC: What is the special feature of The reputation of medical care in eroon or in the region, in the sectors the Tunisian pharmaceutical in- Tunisia relies on three principle of production and distribution of dustry? pillars: Medical know-how associ- pharmaceutical products as well as JS: The pharmaceutical industry in ated with quality service, the com- at the level of medical marketing. Tunisia is developed and flourish- parative competitive cost with the

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guarantee of high level care and form of cooperation and partner- must admit that the range of Tu- cutting edge hospital infrastructure. ship between professionals and nisian investors is not large, in fact Indeed, in terms of infrastructure, Tunisian and Cameroonian estab- it is below the opportunities the Tunisia has 85 highly equipped and lishments operating in the health Cameroonian market offers. qualified clinics with 4,200 beds sector. In any case, just the fact that Tunisian industrial presence in receiving more than 400,000 pa- the professionals of the two coun- Cameroon would benefit if in- tients each year for different types tries met is already a step forward. creased. One must keep in mind of medical care, of which 80% are One cannot speak of cooperation that for all investment, there is Africans and 20% Westerners, nota- without an initial contact. This has really no secret. It is all a question bly Europeans. been done and well done. It is now of the capacity of investment, of What’s more to date, in view of all up to the professionals to transform opportunity, of partnership and the aforementioned advantages, the test and achieve tangible results. business environment. Perhaps Tunisia is the foremost destination Thus, the mission cleared the way, potential Tunisian investors lacked in Africa in matters of health care, which is in itself a success. means or missed opportunities or world leader in heart surgery as well partnerships, truly ready to collab- as one of the top places for plastic BIC: Precisely, what is your assess- orate. surgery. ment of Cameroon-Tunisia coop- But, things are beginning to move. eration on the economic and polit- Aside from Teriak Laboratories, I BIC: One notes that Tunisian com- ical level? know that certain Tunisian com- panies that are active in the health JS: First of all, on the economic panies plan to invest in the domain domain are more and more inter- level, relations are progressing in of health and medical care, by con- ested in Cameroon in the last two commercial exchange matters, in- structing clinics, polyclinics and years. Your first official outing as vestment, and market development. healthcare units, above all if Cam- ambassador to Cameroon was On both sides, there is the will to eroonian partners are available and moreover during the health pro- progress, to develop relations and prepared to be associated. Also, oth- fessional days organized in Came- broaden the framework of cooper- er investors are currently studying roon. What explains this attraction ation. But, at this stage, the results partnership projects and joint-ven- of Tunisian health professionals are mixed. The potential above all tures in the sectors of agribusiness for Cameroon, from your point of commercially is under exploited and tourism. All this is to say that view? and would gain in being better de- things are moving. JS: In organizing the Tunisian pro- veloped. fessional days in the domain of Then on the political level, although BIC: What is your opinion on the health care in Cameroon, in June there is similarity in the positioning business environment in Came- 2015 respectively in Yaoundé and of the two countries on major inter- roon? Douala, the objective was to iden- national or regional issues, one can JS: In every country, the business tify cooperation opportunities, es- objectively observe that political environment is dependent on dif- tablish a partnership framework consultation is not at the same level ferent factors on the political, eco- between Tunisian and Cameroo- as bi-lateral economic cooperation. nomic, legislative, institutional, nian health professionals and to There are few high level visits. infrastructural, professional and conclude marketing agreements One can therefore say, on the eco- technical sides. For Cameroon, the for services, equipment and prod- nomic as well as the political level situation remains to be perfected. It ucts, in the mutual interest of both that a lot more needs to be done. is clear that the government is sure- parties. It was also a question of There is still a long way to go to set ly taking steps to improve national exploring investment opportuni- up an optimal framework of co- business environment indicators, ties, of encouraging the exchange operation, in conformity with the but there is no getting away from of experiences, of prospecting mu- existing potential between the two the statistics that give an idea of the tually advantageous new paths and countries. scale of the work. examining the possibility of train- I cite one single figure to place the ing, retraining and development for BIC: To date, what are the main Cameroonian business environ- Cameroonian students and young companies in your country (big ment on the world scale. In the doctors, and putting Tunisian ex- and SME) which invest in Came- 2015 ranking of the World Bank pertise and know-how in matters roon? and out of 189 countries identified, of medical care at the disposition of JS: Apart from the investments of Cameroon has fallen back between Cameroon. the “Kilani” group, which I spoke of 2014 and 2015 on two principle in- The principle objective being to earlier, and the Tunisian consulting dicators: on the first criterion, that establish, for the long term, a plat- firms established in Cameroon, one is business environment, Came-

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -29- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON AMBASSADOR OF THE MONTH

roon has lost 10 places, dropping from 148th position to 158th. On the second criterion, that is business creation, Cameroon has also fallen back 6 positions, over the same pe- riod, going from 127th position to 133rd. Moreover, all the members of the CEMAC are lagging behind in the ranking. Thus, for Cameroon, as for the region, much remains to be done to improve the business en- vironment. In spite of this observation, pros- pects for improvement are real. This in the measure that the government is well aware of its inadequacies and is working to redress the bal- ance by trying to put into practice the recommendations resulting from the work of different sessions of the Cameroon Business Forum (CBF), a platform of public-private dialogue given the responsibility Jalel investment, whatever the nature very strong link with Tunisia and do Snoussi: of identifying the bottlenecks and “One can and the scope. not miss any opportunity to bring proposing solutions to allow the therefore their help and support to Tuni- government to refine its strategy say, on the BIC: How many Tunisian nation- sia and to promote its image as an economic on cleaning up the business envi- as well as als live in Cameroon and what are open, moderate and secular coun- ronment and to follow and appraise the political their occupations? try. I see them as the surrogate chil- the reforms being undertaken in level that JS: According to the embassy’s reg- dren of Tunisia and its permanent a lot more the domains concerned. needs to be isters, there are approximately 150 ambassadors in Cameroon. I have done.” Tunisians living and working in met some of them and every time, BIC: Aside from the health sector, Cameroon in the engineering, re- their words of praise, gratefulness in which other sectors of activi- search, technical audit, trade sectors and love for Tunisia have moved ty would you encourage Tunisian and hotel business. me, sometimes to tears. companies to invest in Cameroon? I can say that the Tunisian com- JS: I would say notably in the sec- munity is, for the most part, made BIC: How many visa applications tors where Tunisia has a compar- up of high level senior managers. from Cameroonians are registered ative advantage and a well-recog- A colony, rather small in number, every day in your embassy and how nised expertise and where, at the but big in its involvement and ex- many visas are granted on a daily same time, Cameroon offers oppor- pertise, well established, well liked basis? tunities in terms of investment and and who brings its know-how and JS: The number of granted visas is partnership such as pharmaceutical contribution to the development of cyclical and the frequency depends and cosmetic products, informa- Cameroon. I am pleased and proud on the period. For example, the peak tion technologies and communi- that Tunisians in Cameroon enjoy a is noted during the months of July cation, seaside tourism, thermal or good reputation in terms of exper- to October, and this for an objective medical, energy, higher education, tise, discipline and commitment. reason, being young Cameroonians professional training, electric and This is a professional and human travelling to Tunisia for their uni- chemical industry, agribusiness, etc. investment from which both coun- versity studies. In fact, study permits For my part, I consider that there tries are invariably benefitting. represent approximately 60% of the are some sectors where there total visas issued. The remainder is should be greater emphasis without I absolutely do not want to over- spread among medical care, busi- a doubt and where particular at- shadow another community, Tu- ness and tourism. On average, the tention should be paid, keeping in nisian by adoption, made of many Embassy grants, every year, between mind their potential. But, I remain Cameroonians who went to uni- 1,500 and 2,000 visas. in service for any Tunisian project versity in Tunisia and who, after So, between 900 and 1,200 Cameroo- of cooperation, of partnership or returning to Cameroon, have kept a nians students attend school every

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breath of fresh air, a historical mo- ment of pride, joy and also surprise. Nobody was expecting Tunisia in its whole to be rewarded. Indeed, the Nobel Committee chose the Tuni- sian Quartet out of 273 candidates (205 personalities and 68 organi- sations) to reinforce the triumph of the ideal of dialogue and the search for compromise and to show that the democratic model is still achievable in the Arab world, pro- vided that the notions of dialogue, negotiation and consensus be put at the centre of the process and the objective of the conflicting parties and be the basis for the structure of any crisis resolution process.

BIC: You also perceive an economic impact. Which one exactly? JS: We have to make the Nobel Prize profitable in economic terms, capi- talise on this wave of sympathy and transform the international me- diatisation into operational pros- pects to attract more investors, to mobilise even more resources and means and to better promote Tuni- year in Tunisian universities, includ- “The phar- the employers’ union, the Human sia as a destination on various lev- maceutical ing private ones. Moreover, since the industry in Rights League and the bar associa- els, in particular tourism, a sector 70’s, the Tunisian State grants every Tunisia is tion, led and brought to a successful currently in disaster because of the year a number of scholarships for devel- conclusion the “National Dialogue”, cowardly terrorist attacks on tourist oped and public universities and colleges to flourishing. between the power and the opposi- sites at Bardo and Sousse. Cameroonian high school gradu- Its expertise tion, at a moment where the country ates, amongst other sub-Saharan and know- was on the brink of civil war. The Nobel Peace Prize is not only how in francophone Africa nationalities. this an honour or an award, but first Tunisia also grants other types of domain are The Nobel committee wanted to re- and foremost a responsibility and recognized scholarships in terms of professional worldwide”. ward uniquely Tunisian concept of a commitment, involving the en- training and Islamic civilisation. “National Dialogue” as an accom- tire Tunisian society, to support plished civil mechanism of dialogue the progress of Tunisia towards the BIC: To finish, the Nobel Peace and negotiation, and the Quar- completion of its own democratic Prize was recently awarded to the tet for its decisive contribution to model and towards the optimisa- Quartet in Tunisia. As a Tunisian building a pluralist democracy in tion of its socio-economic devel- ambassador in Cameroon, what Tunisia and to have launched and opment framework. Through its does this prize mean to you? successfully completed, in consen- message and symbolism, the Nobel JS: As if often the case, the Nobel sus and moderation, an alternative, Peace Prize is capable of uniting committee defied all expectations pacific political process at a mo- Tunisians and call the interna- and took everybody by surprise. ment where the country was facing tional community to better mobi- They paid homage to a structure a serious political crisis, and this lise behind a young experience of from the Tunisian civil society who despite the economic and internal democratisation, result of a painful helped salvage a democratic transi- security instability and the hostility independence process, which as ex- tion showing signs of failure. Indeed, of the regional environment. emplary and irreversible as it may the Quartet, made up of the main For Tunisia, still confronted to so- be, is still vulnerable nonetheless. dynamic forces of the country, be- cio-economic and security prob- ing the association of trade unions, lems, the Nobel Peace Prize was a Interview by Beaugas-Orain Djoyum

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -31- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON PUBLIC MANAGEMENT

Cameroon: Three new taxes to be implemented in the Telecom, Trade and gas industries Cameroon’s 2016 Budget bill which is to eroon aims to capitalize not only on the be presented to the parliament within exponential development of some sec- the next days, will introduce three new tors of activities (industrial gas and mo- taxes namely in the telecom, trade and bile telephony) witnessed on the territo- industrial gas sectors, the Daily L’Econ- ry over the past years but also on some omie reveals quoting official sources of its population’s habits (excessive us- from the Groupement Interpatronal du age of cash), so as to attain its goals for Cameroun (GICAM). the 2016 budget (4,249.8 billion FCFA), These taxes include a tax on electronic which has increased by more than 500 communications to which audiovisual billion FCFA compared to the 2015 communication firms will be subjected, budget (3,746.6 billion FCFA). mobile telephony companies, internet As a reminder, in January 2014, during service providers...; a tax on cash-based the annual conference on central, ex- transactions which should cover all fi- ternal and decentralized services of the nance institutions, and a tax on indus- Ministry of Finance, the director general was “low” in comparison to the average trial gas retail in the country. of taxes, Modeste Mopa, estimating that in Africa, recommended it to be raised With these new implementations, Cam- Cameroon’s 13% of fiscal pressure rate to 18% on the “medium term”.

Cameroon: Bucrep Cameroon: 3.1 billion to temporarily hire FCFA already retrieved 30,000 during 4th by SCC, the public fund global population misappropriation police On 9 October 2015, while in- able to retrieve a total of 3.1 bil- stalling into function magis- lion FCFA as part of compensa- census trate Justine Aimée Ngounou tions for the various committed Bernadette Mbarga, Director General of the Cen- Tchokontchieu and newly ap- crimes. Truly, the law creating tral Bureau for population survey and census, says pointed Attorney General of the SCC involves a financial compen- her institution will temporarily hire 30,000 people Special Criminal Court (SCC), sation for the committed crime in in the framework of Cameroon’s 4th population institution in charge of handling exchange for a stay of proceedings census for which preparations could begin in Jan- cases of public fund misappropri- which can be decided by the Min- uary 2016. ation in Cameroon, the Minister istry of Justice. Bucrep’s head expressed this need during a recent of Justice Laurent Esso drew up Therefore, 115 cases in all have meeting with executives from the Minister of Econ- the review of this institution’s ac- been or are being investigated, omy. This meeting followed the signing, on 15 Sep- tivities over the past 3 years. 223 charges, 40 dismissals and tember 2015, of a presidential decree announcing The review revealed that SCC, 41 stays of proceedings were pro- the 4th global census of Cameroon’s population. over the period concerned, was nounced.

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Senegal offers Cameroon its expertise in social housing While meeting him, Vincent Badji, Senegal’s Ambassador in Cameroon recently offered Cameroon’s Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Jean Claude Mbwentchou, to share his country’s experience in this sector considering the progress it recorded over the past few years. According to statistics from the Senegal Housing Bank (BHS) who celebrated its 35th anniversary last March, more than 200 billion FCFA has been invested by the 35- year old institution thus allowing Senega- lese social housing operators to build about 100,000 housings. The main reason for this accomplishment is the constant reduction of interest rates on housing loans (from 14% reimbursable over 10 to 15 years to 6.5% reimbursable over 25 years) paired with the tax exemption for housing operators which is included in Senegal’s taxes code. While statistics in Cameroon show a 1.3 million deficit for social housing (against 125,000 in Senegal who now plans for 15,000 housing to be built yearly), the Crédit foncier (BHS homologue in Cameroon) has granted up to 261 billion FCFA in loans over 37 years, allowing for 69,500 housing to be construct- ed and for 15,700 of building plots to be leve- led. It should be reminded that for years now, housing operators have been seeking tax ar- rangements to boost activities in this sector. Cameroon: EU grants 2.5 billion FCFA to improve rescue services in the Extreme North The European Union delegation in 18 months and includes among other there to protect them and respond to their Cameroon just launched a project “to realizations, the rehabilitation of rescue needs,” declares Françoise Collet, the promote confidence-building between the stations and border posts; the delivery head of EU’s delegation to Cameroon. State and citizens in the Extreme North”. of rolling stock, communication and The need for this project arises as a re- Backed by a sum of 2.5 billion FCFA, the detection materials, as well as training sult of the numerous armed attacks in project, in partnership with the national for policemen at the borders and for Cameroon’s Extreme-North that killed fire brigade and the General delegation members of the national fire brigade. many over the past months and left in- for national security, aims to improve “This initiative is EU’s response to the jured who needed immediate medical intervention capacities of firefig stations current security crisis which loams over attention; the various suicides bomb- in Maroua and Kousseri as well as that the Extreme-North region. This project ings orchestrated by the Nigerian sect of four border posts in the North of aims at helping inhabitants of this region Boko Haram during which more than Cameroon’s Extreme-North region. feel safer, with the presence of efficient a 100 perished and many were injured. According to the EU, the project covers police agents and firefighters who are

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -33- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

Razel wins a 48 billion FCFA contract for the construction of Mfoundi canal French firm Razel has joined Chinese the urban community of Yaoundé now from the French Agency for Develop- Anhui Shuian Constructions Group on gives another contract (worth 48 billion ment (AFD in French) which amounts the construction project for the canal FCFA) to the French firm Razel which to 52.5 billion FCFA. of Mfoundi, a river which runs through will undertake the larger part of the pro- The first phase of this project, with a Yaoundé and whose overflow causes ject. 22.3 billion FCFA funding from the flooding in the Cameroonian capital The construction of the Mfoundi canal African Development Bank (AfDB) re- city. is part of the Yaoundé Urban Develop- sulted in the construction of 3.5 km of After awarding a 10.8 billion FCFA con- ment Strategy (PADY in French) which canal. tract to the above-mentioned Chinese is currently in its second stage. Govern- firm for the first stage of construction, ment obtained for this stage, a funding Cameroon awards WEF 2015: Cameroon 5 billion in feasibility jumps two places from studies contracts for its 2014 ranking railway projects

The government of Cameroon just awarded three contracts for feasibility studies of various projects to two mixed groups of Technical Studies Bureau. Whilst the cumulated cost for these contracts totals about 5 billion FCFA, they are to be ex- ecuted over respective periods of 18-20 months and concern the construction for three new railway lines in the country. Among the two consortium previously mentioned, one com- prises Tunisian Studi International, French Ingerop and Cam- eroonian TBS firm Ecta BTP, which landed a contract worth This year’s World Economic Forum (WEF) ranked Cameroon 3.5 billion FCFA for the feasibility studies for the construc- as the World’s 114th most competitive economy, out of the 140 tion of a railway line between Douala in the Coastal region, countries evaluated. Though rising two places in the rankings and Nagoundéré, Adamaoua’s regional capital, located in the as compared to last year, Cameroon still comes behind Gabon Northern part of the country. (104th), which is central Africa’s leading nation according to In the meantime, the contracts for the construction of the the 2015-2016 report. Edéa-Kribi and Douala-Limbé railway lines were awarded However, in this 2015-2016 ranking, Cameroon is 10 steps to a consortium including, Spanish firm Ardanuy, Pakistani ahead of Nigeria (124th) which by the way is Africa’s leading Umar Munshi Associated, British CGV Engineering and Cam- economy. In Africa, just like for the previous year, Mauritius eroonian firm Bonus Consulting. Cost of contracts: 1.262 bil- came out as the most competitive with South Africa nipping lion FCFA. at its heels.

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Cameroon: From 2,500 to 96,791 businesses listed on tax registry in 18 months On March 12, 2014, as he was meeting tion of Taxes held on 16 October 2015 for a better and more efficient follow-up economic operators at a diner-debate in Ebolowa (Cameroon’s South) by Di- of the country’s medium enterprises organized by the Groupement Inter-pa- rectorate General (DGI in French), the (SMEs constitute 80% of businesses in tronal du Cameroon (GICAM), the di- Cameroonian tax authority disclosed a Cameroon); simplifying tax payment by rector general of taxes from Ministry list revealing that 96,791 taxpayers reg- introducing practices such as tele-decla- of Finance, Modeste Mopa made an istered by the end of September. This ration or mobile payment for land taxes, important announcement in relation means that, between the announcement etc. to tax practices in Cameroon. A census from March 2014 and September this Due to this boost in the number of conducted by the National Institute year (18 months overall), DGI regis- taxpayers arising from these reforms, of Statistics (INS) numbered close to tered more than 95,000 new taxpayers. revenue collection was also improved. 98,000 active businesses in Cameroon According to the DGI, this resulted from In fact, out of the 1,600 billion FCFA it where only 2,500 individuals and com- the various reforms initiated during planned to recover in 2015, the DGI al- panies were counted for in the tax regis- that period. These include rearranging ready has 1,300 billion FCFA and there try, DGT said at the time. registry, securing revenues, establishing is still a quarter left before the end the Following a meeting for the coordina- medium enterprises’ tax centers (CIME) fiscal year. Cameroon orders drones from American firm Insitu Inc for 5 billion FCFA Cameroon’s government re- cently ordered ScanEagle com- bat drones from the American firm Insitu Inc for a little more than 5 billion FCFA, specialized magazine Flightglobal revealed citing a release from US Defense Ministry dated 29 September 2015. The agreement signed between the Cameroonian government and Insitu Inc also includes provision of spare parts, drone maintenance for a year as well as training Cameroonian ex- perts to handle this equipment which is to be delivered starting September next year. This information was disclosed a few days only after a deci- sion by U.S government and by Cameroon in a confirmed in a presidential release dated 15 October 2015, to dispatch 300 American soldiers on Cameroo- nian ground to help in the fight against Islamist group Boko Haram which has been, for some months now, perpetrating various attacks in the country.

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -35- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

In Cameroon, “2013 was the Public year for the evolution and investment sophistication of corruption will increase techniques”, according to to 36% in CONAC the 2016 budget of the Cameroonian State

In 2016, the State of Cameroon will in- The National Anti-Corruption Com- to CONAC’s president, “a State within ject over FCfa 1,500 billion in the im- mission (CONAC) of Cameroon has the State”. plementation of projects in the country. just publicly released its 2013 activities Many of these practices deprive the This is certainly what the 2016 budget report. According to Dieudonné Massi Cameroonian Public Treasury of im- currently under review by Parliament Gams, the prelate in charge of this in- portant revenues. Thus the actions of indicates. With this amount, the Public stitution, 2013 was a good year for those some managers of the Internal Revenue Investment Budget (BIP) will represent involved in this phenomenon. “2013 saw Authority, who have mastered the “issu- 36% of the global budget of the State, the evolution and sophistication of cor- ance of counterfeit licences, the produc- against 30% in 2015 and 2014. ruption techniques through various forms tion of counterfeit stickers and the issu- Marginalised for a long time at the ex- of cheating which are increasing and poi- ance of counterfeit legal stamps through pense of the operating budget which soning the social and economic activity”, counterfeit stamp printers”, CONAC in- could take up to 80% of the national he declared. dicates in its report. budget, BIP has grown in importance in Not one sector was spared, the president Based on the 2,758 denunciations the State budget since 2014, to the ben- of CONAC stressed. He then proceeded CONAC received and the corruption efit of big ongoing or future infrastruc- to mention in no particular order: gen- acts listed in the 2013 activities report, ture projects. erating counterfeit account statements, this institution recommends to the Indeed, in addition to the dams and payment against issuance of account State, among other measures, “the im- other ongoing road and highway pro- statements, inflating civil servants’ sal- plementation of the national strategy to jects, there will be in 2016 investments aries and pension funds, issuance of fight against corruption throughout the in sports infrastructure for the organ- counterfeit driving licences, overcharg- country, the adoption of an anti-corrup- isation of the 2019 AfCON, as well as ing services, or the opaque operations of tion law and the implementation of the projects belonging to the government’s the Land Freight Management Bureau provisions of article 66 on the disclosure three-year emergency plan, which will (BGFT), which has become, according of property and assets”. reach its second milestone in 2016.

-36- December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

More than 200 companies Cameroon at the 1st edition of the Trade and CameroonInvest forum of API Economic Days goal of this event organised by the In- vestments Promotion Agency (API) is to promote the Cameroonian economy to announced in all potential investors. According to the Investments Promo- tion Agency, a total of ten foreign dele- Russia in 2016 gations are taking part in this econom- ic event whose theme is “development through investment”. The first edition of CIF will end on 27 November 2015. In addition to the big trade fair during which participants will compete on The first edition of the CameroonInvest their know-how, CIF will be centred on Forum (CIF) opened on 25 November round tables on different themes, as well 2015 in Douala, the Cameroonian eco- as B2B meetings between investors, in nomic capital, with over 200 local and order to create winning business part- foreign companies participating. The nerships.

Market conditions led to the As part of its strategy to promote prod- st ucts made in Cameroon abroad, in or- ruin of the 1 Cameroonian der to help local economic operators find new markets, the Cameroonian government is considering organising Eurobond, according to the the Cameroon Trade and Economic (JEC) in Moscow (Russia) in 2016. Minister of Finance The information was revealed by the Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga It is now official. The first Eurobond in operate a downward revision of their Atangana, aside his appearance in front the Cameroonian public finance history ambitions, “discouraged” as they were of the members of the Finance Com- only helped gather about FCfa 375 bil- by extremely rigid and unfavourable mission of Parliament, to defend the lion, out of the FCfa 750 billion expect- conditions for the Cameroonian public 2016 budget of his ministry. ed, the minister of Finance, Alamine Treasury. “We are going to particularly expand our Ousmane Mey indicated, while defend- This market rigidity, for example, led efforts in Russia. Even though Russia is ing on 2nd December 2015 the 2016 Angola to postpone in September the is- both in the group of countries considered Finance bill of the State of Cameroon suance of its USD 1.5 billion. Eurobond as developed and emerging economies, the in front of the Finance Commission in which was finally issued in November focus point will be the organisation of the Parliament. and was subscribed at an interest rate Cameroon Trade and Economic in Mos- However, Minister Ousmane Mey ex- of 9.5% over 10 years. Same case for cow”, he indicated. plained, the money garnered as part Ghana, who, despite a guarantee from Even though no figures were mentioned, of this fundraising operation is not the World Bank, also hesitated in Oc- Russians and Cameroonians agree that the consequence of a lack of interest tober 2015 before issuing its Eurobond trade relations between the two coun- from investors. According to him, even of USD 1 billion. The Ghanaian public tries “are very few”. In order to reverse though funds were available to raise the Treasury only succeeded by agreeing to this trend, the Russian Business Centre full amount of requested resources, the serve an interest rate 10.75% to inves- (RBC) officially launched its operations government and its arrangers had to tors, but with a maturity of 15 years. in Yaoundé in March 2014.

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -37- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

Cameroon: Local companies Cameroon : get 70% of first construction AFD injects contracts for CAN 2016 622 million FCFA in Forest management

About 24 billion FCFA in contracts were more than 17 billion FCFA and repre- just issued by Cameroonian government senting 70% of the contracts awarded. for the rehabilitation and renovation of French firm Alcor Equipements ob- sports infrastructures towards the upcom- tained a contract worth 3 billion FCFA ing 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations. against 4.5 billion FCFA for two Chinese Cameroonian companies grabbed a firms. major part of these contracts valued to ILO to lower proportions of informal economy in Cameroon In Cameroon, 23 forest communities Over the next two years, the represent- world by ignorance while others do so to and 10 NGOs which are engaged in the ative of the International Labor Office avoid paying taxes. But, what they must protection and management of Forests in Cameroon will encourage all initi- know is that it is more beneficial to work just received 622 million FCFA from atives aiming at moving operators of in the formal sector,” Vera Lucia Paquete AFD in the framework of the Sectoral the informal sector to the formal sector, Perdigao told daily newspaper Econo- Program for Forest and Environment Cameroon’s ILO new head Vera Lucia my. (PSFE in French). Paquete Perdigao told Cameroonian According to a study by World Bank This fund will be dedicated to the re- business officials during a meeting re- local representative dated January 2012 forestation, the establishment of new cently held in Douala. and conducted in Cameroon, the coun- forest units, projects for research and re- “One of our most significant actions con- try’s formal private sector and public valorization of forest resources, mainly stitutes working towards a quick migra- sector respectively employ 4% and 6% in the Centre, East and Southern regions tion of the actors currently operating on of Cameroon’s workers. The remaining of Cameroon. the informal level to the formal. What is 90% are thus concentrated in the infor- Launched in 2007 and restructured in involved here is the informal economy, mal sector with a preference to Agricul- 2012, the Sectoral Program for Forest whose actors are continuously growing in ture, where 53% of the country’s infor- and Environment benefits from a global numbers. We even conducted some stud- mal workers are found, against 37% for budget of 10 million Euros (about 6.5 ies that reveal that most people enter this services and detailed commerce. billion FCFA).

-38- December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 BUSINESS IN CAMEROON AGRIBUSINESS Cameroon in the Top 10 of African countries awarding lands to Chinese investors For its agricultural projects in Afri- its agricultural investments. whom Chinese firm CWE acquired ca, China has acquired about 280,000 With the 10,120 acres of lands it award- 100,000 acres for maize farming, or even acres of land, reveals LandMatrix, glob- ed Chinese company Shaanxi Land Rec- Mozambique and Nigeria with 25,000 al observatory on large-scale land ac- lamation General Corporation (which acres of land they each awarded China quisitions. A study conducted by Deb- operates as IKO) in the Central region for its agricultural projects; not to forget orah Brautigam, Head of China Africa (Nanga Eboko and Ndjoré) for rice and Mali and Ethiopia with 20,000 acres each. Research Initiative at the University of maize farming, “Cameroon, Ethiopia According to the Thomson Reuters Johns Hopkins, however contradicted and Mozambique record some of China’s Foundation, these large-scale land ac- the statistic saying it was 240,000 acres. most significant agricultural investments quisitions allowed China in 2014, to im- Nevertheless, it has been derived from in Africa,” reports Commodafrica quot- port agricultural products from sub-Sa- both studies that Cameroon is among ing Reuters. haran Africa worth 1,600 billion FCFA the top 10 African countries to award At the continental level however, Cam- ($2.9 billion) against 1,265 billion FCFA the greatest land portion to China for eroon is far behind Zimbabwe, from ($2.7 billion) in 2013.

Telcar Cocoa to train 10,000 Cameroon: BEAC new producers of certified forecasts a drop cocoa in 2016 of 20,000 tons for 2015-2016 cocoa production

In its recent Q4 forecast on the evolution of economic activities in Cameroon, the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) predicts a drop of 20,000 tons in Cameroon’s 2014- 2015 cocoa production. According to these previsions, Cameroon’s national cocoa output for this season, which began in August 2015 and will end in mid-June next year, will reach 210,000 tons against a little more than 232,000 tons for After the South Western region in Telcar Cocoa’s objective for extend- the 2014-2015 season. 2012 and 2014, it is the turn of Cam- ing its “Cocoa Sustainability Ven- According to experts, the main explanation eroon’s central and Southern region ture” to these regions is the training for this downward forecast similar to that to be the recipients of the Telcar of 10,000 new producers of certified of the National Cocoa and Coffee Board Cocoa, local dealer of international cocoa, through the implementation (ONCC) is that the current cocoa season firm Cargill, training program for of 334 training sessions in the previ- falls in the period of vegetal dormancy producers of certified cocoa. ously mentioned regions. which occurs every 5 years.

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -39- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

Cameroon: As a homecoming project, CCIC suggests cocoa farming to the diaspora

The Cocoa and Coffee Interprofession- 3 years ago by the CCIC. It aims at re- the introduction of this youth to Came- nal Council (CCIC) organized on 20 juvenating producers and plantations so roon’s cocoa-coffee sector. October 2015 in Milan, Italy, for the as to ensure the sustainability of these This call addressing the Cameroonian Universal Exposition, the “New Genera- sectors that experience ageing of plan- youth in the diaspora falls in line with tion Youth Forum” to present the oppor- tations and workforce. New Generation’s development goals tunities that Cameroon’s cocoa-coffee During the Milan forum in which young that include the training of 3,000 youth sector has to offer but also the objectives producers trained by New Generation yearly against the actual 1,000. The first and benefits of its “New Generation” participated, CCIC’s executive secretary, beneficiaries of the New Generation scheme. Omer Gatien Malédy, gave a presenta- programme already put in place 1,335 “Considered by international cocoa-coffee tion on the homecoming programme. acres of cocoa farms, from which the associations as one of the most innovative This session destined to the youth of first batches will start production in the initiatives in these sectors over the recent the Cameroonian diaspora present at ongoing season. decades”, this programme was launched the forum, was organized to facilitate

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Cameroon injects 612 million FCFA in palm oil production in Edéa Increasing palm oil production per year from 6,300 tons to 21,000 tons. That is the goal set by the agro-pole for produc- tion, processing, and commercialization of palm oil recently launched by the minister delegated to Minister of econo- my, Yaouba Abdoulaye. Through this project estimated at more than 1.5 billion FCFA initiated by pri- vate operators, Cameroon’s government aims to generate jobs in rural areas by developing revenue-generating busi- nesses. The government invested 612 million FCFA in the project. Funds from government will be used to rehabilitate the roads serving plan- tations; purchase input and install one production unit and one for processing palm oil. Despite the fact that numerous impor- 235 to 270,000 tons of palm oil yearly. regulating the oilseed sector has pro- tant palm oil exploitation units (60,000 National demand however, is around posed this year that government author- ha overall) and private plantations 385,000 tons thus implying a yearly izes the import of about 60,000 tons of (100,000 ha) are present in the coun- deficit of 100,000 tons. palm oil with a custom tax of 5% while try, Cameroon only produces between To overcome this deficit, the Committee exempting them of VAT.

Cameroon: A half-billion FCFA worth project to produce 813 tons of fish in Limbé In the framework of its AGROPOLES project aiming at creating revenue-gen- erating businesses in rural areas and re- ducing food products imports in Cam- eroon, the government just invested 522 million FCFA for fish production in Limbé, South-Western region. With this funding, the project led by a cooperative of fish farmers with John- son Njocke at its head, aims to boost fish production from the current 83 tons to about 813 tons yearly. The project includes the production of fry which are to be made available to sur- rounding farmers at a highly competi- tive price, so as to attain the expected output. In addition to helping boost local fish ing to officials statistics is the weak point Cameroon produces yearly, only 1,000 production, the Limbé project most of of fish production in Cameroon. For ex- tons or 0.1% of national output comes all promotes aquaculture which accord- ample, out of the 176,000 tons of fish from aquaculture.

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -41- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

Cameroon negotiating a 110 billion FCFA loan from ADB to develop agriculture On 9 December 2015, at the occasion ject to the appreciation of ADB’s board of in the involved production basins, the of its upcoming meeting, the board of director”, said Racine Kane at the end of construction of a quality-control labo- director of the African Bank of Develop- the audience. ratory, the construction of community ment (ADB) will examine the funding Valued at 110 billion FCFA, this pro- infrastructures and warehouses, and the application that Cameroon submitted ject will be implemented in the cen- construction of 30 km of electricity net- for its project for the development of tral, southern, eastern, coastal and work. agricultural value chains (PD-CVA). south-western regions and according PD-CVA also has a professional inser- This emerged from an audience Came- to ADB’s short description, the PD- tion component, especially for women roon’s Minister of Agriculture just had CVA targets “three crop sectors (plantain, (40% of the 1500 which are to work with ADB’s resident representative, Ra- pineapple and palm oil) in sight of their on this project) and young graduates. cine Kane. maturity and integration levels, their These will be trained in “agribusinesses “With the minister, we established that markets and processing options, their eco- incubation centers which are help them all steps so far had been well carried out nomic (revenue and job generation) im- establish their own businesses (600 new accordingly to schedule which is currently pact and that on food-security”. businesses are projected in the framework ongoing, and there is nothing as at pres- Concretely, the project will allow for the of the project)”. ent, opposing the submission of the pro- rehabilitation of 1,000 km of rural roads Government to Cameroon: IRAD establish 369 acres develops 200 new of peer plantations varieties of cassava to supply Mbouda’s avocado oil factory

Cameroon’s government in the framework of its AGROPO- LES project which aims at creating income-generating activi- ties in rural areas, launched in Foumbot in the Western region, a peer-production agropole, credible sources reveal. Foumbot will therefore supply the avocado oil factory which is under construction in Mbouda. Choices are most almost endless for cassava growers when it With this project which has been valued at 678 million FCFA comes to variety selection. In fact, meeting with producers, the (out of which 260 million FCFA coming from the AGROPO- Institute for Agricultural and Research Development (IRAD) LES project), 34 producers from this community plan to es- announced it has developed to date 200 local varieties of cas- tablish, starting from 2016, about 369 acres of plantations of sava among which six improved. an improved variety of peer. In addition to adapting to the various ecological zones, the im- These new plantations, once production begins, should yield proved varieties show quite satisfying results. These varieties 5,000 tons of peer yearly against the 1,500 tons presently pro- on an acre can produce up to 25-40 tons of cassava, against 12 duced. tons for traditional seeds, IRAD says.

-42- December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 BUSINESS IN CAMEROON FINANCE

Managing Directors of BPCE Madagascar and Cameroon switch seats Cameroon’s International Bank for November 2015 in Yaoundé. bank who is the leader of the Cameroo- savings and loans (BICEC), the local Switching seats with his fellow country- nian banking market, with 37 agencies, subsidiary of French group Banque man Pierre Mahe, the newly appointed 750 employees, 315,000 customers and Populaire (BPCE), has had for a few MD headed BPCE’s Malagasy subsidi- an average of 25,000 bank accounts weeks now a new Managing Director ary for four years. The switching initiat- opened yearly. In 2014, the institution at its head. Alain Ripert, transferred ed by Groupe BPCE could very well be reported a net income of about 14 bil- from Banque Malgache Océan Indien the first step in a greater plan to develop lion FCFA. In Madagascar, BICEC’s (BMOI), another of BPCE’s subsidiary BMOI which currently appears to be no former Managing Director is handed a (in Madagascar), BICEC’s new MD was more than a Tom Thumb compared to bank with only 16 branches and 19,000 officially introduced to his customers BICEC. individual customers. and other collaborators on the 5th of Truly, Pierre Mahé leaves the head of a Cameroon to subject all microfinance institutions to banking secrecy Through a release published by the National Credit Council, the Cameroonian government revealed it was finalizing the draft of a legisla- tion aiming to subject all microfinance insti- tutions to banking secrecy. Literally, banking secrecy is a law under which banks are not to provide account information of their custom- ers to any third party with the exception of fi- nancial investigations agencies, justice, etc. Banking secrecy over the years has become con- troversial in the way that it allows some com- panies and individuals to anonymously detain assets. In most cases, these assets come from public fund misappropriation, corruption or from various kinds of illegal trafficking. The reason for the extending banking secrecy to Cameroonian microfinance institutions is mainly the dynamism of the sector in the coun- try which counts nearly 500 microfinance insti- tutions out of the 800 identified in the CEMAC. In addition to this, some of these Camerooni- an institutions are as big as some commercial banks. Such is the case of Camccul, first chain of microfinance institutions in the country from which emerged the Union Bank of Cam- eroon and whose volume of assets is equal to that of BGFI Bank’s Cameroonian subsidiary.

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Mehita Fanny Sylla appointed resident representative of IFC in Cameroon The International Finance Corporation Mehita Fanny Sylla replaces Malagasy resentative to develop an important (IFC), subsidiary of the World Bank Henri Rabarijohn. In charge of invest- network and gain an extensive knowl- specialised in funding for the private ments at IFC, Mehita Fanny Sylla joined edge of business sectors in Central and sector, has just appointed Mehita Fan- the IFC Consulting Department for Western Africa. With a Masters in Econ- ny Sylla as Resident-Representative in public private partnerships in 2007, af- omy and a degree from ESSEC Business Cameroon, we officially learned, on the ter spending 3 years in Douala, where School in France, Mehita Fanny Sylla fringes of the visit by Ms Vera Songwe she worked on financing infrastructure has a professional experience of 12 years (Cameroonian), the new IFC Regional projects. in financial audit, company assessment Director for Central and Western Africa. This role enabled the new Resident-Rep- and SMEs development. Cameroon’s chamber of Agriculture launches procedures for the establishment of Microfinance venture To help actors in the agro-pas- toral and fishery sectors over- come the various challenges to funding their activities, Cam- eroon’s Chamber of Agricul- ture, Fishery, Livestock and Forestry (CAPEF) launched on 19 October 2015 a fund- raising operation to establish a microfinance venture. The fundraising which ends on 10th of December 2015, involves rural organizations, farmers’ cooperatives (fishery, stockbreeders, agriculture), as well as agro-industrial and forestry SMEs. According to the CAPEF, the microfinance venture result- ing from the fundraising will serve as a field relay for the agricultural bank being es- tablished, which has an initial capital of 10 billion FCFA. The creation of this specialized bank has been announced since 2011, but its implemen- tation is being delayed due to numerous structural chal- lenges such as the land legis- lation which still shows many limitations, well-informed sources indicated.

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Banque camerounaise des PME: the first loans will be granted in three months, according to Managing Director

After three months of operation, ing the demand of its ever-increasing will be something for Banque des PME”, the Banque Camerounaise des PME customer base; particularly for those the Managing Director of BCPME (BCPME), whose official launch took seeking long term loans, which are bet- hopes. place on 20 July 2015, had as at end Oc- ter adapted and more efficient for the For the record, promised by the Head of tober 2015, a total of 1,000 customer ac- development of companies. State in 2011 during the Ebolowa agri- counts and essentially demand deposit In order to reverse this trend, the Man- culture and livestock show, BCPME only accounts, representing a total amount of aging Director indicated, this public has branches in Yaoundé and Douala, FCfa 2 billion, against FCfa 1.3 billion bank with a capital of FCfa 10 billion is the two main cities of the country. This in withdrawals, the Managing Director, counting on an intervention from the bank, fully owned by the State, has the Agnès Ndoumbé Mandeng revealed. State to finance SMEs on the long term. ambition to reduce the difficulties in With only FCfa 700 million currently “Meetings are being held at the offices of accessing financing of SMEs, which available and a predominance of short the Prime Minister on this issue, and we represent over 90% of the industries in term deposits, BCPME, whose ambition are confident that instructions are being Cameroon. is to grant its first loans to SMEs in the given in that direction. We are preparing coming weeks, will have difficulty meet- the 2016 budget and we believe that there Cameroon’s Pari Mutuel Urbain joins hands with the Crédit Foncier to facilitate access to immovable property for its agents Cameroon’s Crédit Foncier (CFC), govern- ment housing bank, and Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMUC) just signed a partnership agree- ment to make access to housing and immov- able property on preferential terms easier for the employees of the horse-betting company. According to this agreement, PMUC’s agents-promoters of housing projects will have to provide 10% of the required invest- ment for the project, in order to benefit from the Crédit Foncier’s support. The housing bank will then grant them loans repaya- ble over a maximum of 300 months with an annual interest rate of 5% tax-included (against 16% at standard banks). CFC’s Director General, Jean Paul Missi, said this convention with the PMUC is the eighteenth partnership agreement signed up-to-date with Cameroonian firms that aim to facilitate access to immovable prop- erty for their agents. Since the beginning of 2015, CFC has disbursed 2 billions FCFA to support the beneficiaries of these various agreements.

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Afriland First Bank and USAID join hands to boost agricultural credits in Liberia constitutes one of the key points to- wards the development of African econ- omies, the partnership with USAID will also extends to SMEs of the construc- tion sector. Truly, as Dr Chan, local rep- resentative of the USAID, said, though agriculture and construction are high- risks sectors, they still present great op- portunities in terms of job creation. The agreement with USAID is the fourth to have been concluded by Af- riland First Bank in five months only. Indeed, in June 2015, Cameroon’s leader of banking market landed a 26.2 billion FCFA funding from China Develop- ment Bank, to boost access to funding for Cameroon SMEs. In July 2015, it was Afreximbank that gave 9.8 billion FCFA to Afriland Côte d’Ivoire to support local SMEs and finance intra-African trade. On July 30, 2015 in Douala, Afriland First Bank signed another contract worth 15 million dollars (8.2 billion FCFA) with International Finance Cor- poration; a subsidiary of the World Bank specialized in private investment. Through this funding, “the IFC will make available to Afriland First Bank guarantees for all operations related to international trades, for a better coverage Liberian subsidiary of Afriland First agricultural sector, to boost them in the of import and export companies’ fluxes Bank (bank which mostly Cameroonian country. by corresponding banks, thereby boosting assets), and USAID signed on October In addition to agriculture which for competition at the International level,” 13, 2015 in Liberia, a risk sharing agree- Afriland First Bank Liberia Limited’s the World Bank said in an official re- ment for the credits dedicated to the Managing Director Hamadou Bayo lease. Cameroonian Transimex gets direct funding of FCfa one billion from Fagace The African Guarantee and Economic Transimex, will be used to finance the Cooperation Fund (Fagace) granted a project for the construction of a head- direct funding to the company Transim- quarters building of 6 floors with partial ex, which has been operating in Came- rental space in Douala, the economic roon since 2011 in the stevedoring, con- capital of Cameroon. signment, warehousing, cargo handling, With this new loan agreement for Tran- sea transport, etc., we officially learned. simex, Fagace’s portfolio of investments The loan agreement was signed during in Cameroon is now at FCfa 30 billion, the 41st Board session of Fagace. These funding which helped support 14 pro- funds, according to the management of jects in total.

-46- December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 BUSINESS IN CAMEROON TELECOM

CAMTEL to launch first Triple Play service in Cameroon Cameroon Telecommunications (CAM- This offer which should go online before Triple Play is part of the National TEL), Cameroon’s national operator in “January 2016” will allow its subscribers Broadband Network (NBN) project the telecom industry, is currently pre- to, through the optic fiber, access hun- which consists in expanding the fib- paring the launch of the country’s first dreds of international and local TV and er optic network throughout Cam- Triple Play offer (service where sub- radio channels, a fixed telephone line eroon so as to make it available to scribers have access through a single and high-speed Internet. “For now, the households and companies through contract to Internet, Telephony and offer is still at the experimental stage and the various innovative services it of- Television), Alwihdainfo.com said re- the associated authorities are evaluating fers (Triple Play, video-surveillance, porting a conversation with CAMTEL’s the rate it is to go for”, CAMTEL’s CEO e-learning, etc.) CEO, David Nkotto Emane. says. MTN Cameroon reports 58.7% increase in Data revenue at the end of September 2015 South African telecom group MTN In- ternational just released its results for Q3 2015. These show somehow mitigat- ed performances for its Cameroonian subsidiary. Indeed, at the end of Sep- tember 2015, despite the 6.2% increase in average user revenue (against 2.7% in Q1 2015), MTN Cameroon’s number of subscribers fell by 4%, bringing it from 10.4 million in first semester to 9.9 mil- lion at the end of Q3 2015. This means that around 500,000 sub- scribers were crossed off from MTN Cameroon’s registry between the begin- ning of July and the end of September 2015. The mobile operator explains that this was due to the deactivation of some low-cost subscribers and the clean-up of the registry following the recent identi- fication campaign which was initiated by Cameroon’s government. In spite of all these, MTN Cameroon has 11.7% at the end of June 2015. The tele- nication rate per minute plunged 15.5% recorded a significant boost in data rev- com group thus continues gaining from on annual-basis. On the bright side, the enue which soared by 58.7% in Q3 2015 its investment in 3G, for which 27 new South African telecom group has had its as compared to 45% in the first semes- sites were established during Q3. number of mobile money users surge ter. As a result of this increase, data rev- According to MTN International, its to 1.9 million which represents an 8% enue now represents 13.7% of MTN Cameroonian subsidiary still faces “a increase compared to the first semester. Cameroon’s global revenue against tough competition on prices”as commu-

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Eximbank China lends 198.9 billion FCFA to Cameroon to deploy fiber optic Eximbank of China, China’s secular arm in foreign investment once again gets into business with Cameroon. In- deed, President Biya just published a de- cree enabling his minister of Economy Paul Motazé to sign with the Chinese investment bank, a “preferential loan” agreement worth 198.9 billion FCFA “to finance the second stage of the National Telecommunications Broadband Net- work project in Cameroon”. Cameroon, with this National Broad- band Network (NBN), which will be implemented through the mobile op- erator Camtel, aims to take a great leap towards broadband. Indeed, this fiber optic-equipped infrastructure with its high-speed internet will allow Camtel to provide businesses and populations of Cameroon, services such as Triple Play (Television, Telephone, and Internet), high-definition television, video sur- veillance… Significant advances are to result from this project in areas such as tele-me- decine, e-government, e-commerce, e-learning... Construction works for the infrastructure are carried out by the Chinese firm Huawei Technologies. It covers 13 of Cameroon’s towns and will help the country extend its fiber optic network by adding 3,000 km to the ac- tual 7,000 km it has.

A Cameroonian start-up develops Central Africa’s first application for taxi-booking Bruno Soufo, head of the Camerooni- Taxis from the Novazen network charge According to Novazen which plans on an start-up Novazen, cooked up a new almost the same fares as those imposed extending CarDispo to all of Cameroon application he baptized CarDispo. This by Cameroon’s government knowingly and also eyes the whole of Central Af- application allows its users to book 3,000 FCFA and 5,000 FCFA depending rica, a new version of the application is geo-localized taxis from their mobile on if it is a pick-as-it-goes or a pick-and- currently being developed. This version phones or any other device having ac- drop (or VIP). Bruno Soufo announced will inform users in real-time of the cess to the Internet. CarDispo is the that CarDispo will be officially launched traffic’s condition in the country’s var- first of its kind not only in Cameroon between November and December 2015 ious towns therefore allowing them to but in all Central Africa, the young in Cameroon’s two major cities: Douala strategically avoid the zones where traf- head of Novazen says. and Yaoundé. fic is heavy.

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Cameroon: Government to adopt ICT for its next global census On October 30, 2015, at the occasion of ities believe that this should facilitates result of various malfunctions experi- the ceremony for the establishment of the processing of the data collected on- enced throughout the process. teams which are to carry out Cameroon’s field, thus accelerating the acquisition of According to Bernadette Mbarga, Di- 4th global census, it was announced that results on one hand, and cut operation rector General of the Central Bureau digital means such as tablets would be costs on the other. for population census and survey (BU- used to collect data throughout the op- It should be recalled that for Came- CREP in French), 30,000 temporary eration. roon’s previous global census in 2005, jobs should be created during Came- As a matter of fact, Cameroon’s author- results were released only in 2009 as a roon’s 4th global census population. Cameroon launches a study to compare its electronic communications taxation system against Senegal, Kenya...

The government of Cameroon has just Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Ghana”. roon as part of this study have already awarded a FCfa 46 million contract to According to authorised sources, this gone through. company Resytal, in order to undertake study should enable Cameroon to get However, even before starting this study, a “comparative study on the taxation sys- more significant revenues from the the Cameroonian government is plan- tem and tax levy imposed on operators in development of electronic commu- ning, as part of the 2016 Finance bill some African countries with the same lev- nications than achieved over the past currently under review at parliament, to el of development in the electronic com- 10 years in the country. An experience create a tax on electronic communica- munications sector, particularly in Kenya, which the countries targeted by Came- tions.

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -49- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON ENERGY Cameroonian Tradex launches activities in Equatorial Guinea The petroleum firm Tradex, subsidi- ary of Société Nationale des Hydrocar- bures (SNH) specialized in the trade, bunkering and retailing of petroleum end-products, is now present in four of CEMAC’s member-states. Indeed, after Cameroon, Central African Re- public and Chad, the company official- ly launched its activities in Equatorial Guinea on November 3, 2015, an official release reveals. Tradex Equatorial Guinea operates as a result of the signing of a partnership the development of Equatorial Guinea. Founded in 1999 in Cameroon by SNH agreement with Luba Oil Terminal The company subscribes to a South-south and some private investors, Tradex pres- Equatorial Guinea (LOTEG). Under the partnership which is promoted by the ently has 78 filling stations where Tra- agreement, “Tadex is to store its products President of Equatorial Guinea. It hopes dex gas and Tradex lubricants are sold. in LOTEG’s buildings at the Luba Free to, on the long term, conclude partner- To strengthen its position on Came- Port and exclusively supply ships that ships with local promoters, so as to provide roon’s domestic gas market and capture get fuel at this port”. With its Equato- its full expertise, products and services, for Central Africa, the petroleum operator rial Guinean subsidiary, Tradex plans the benefit of businesses and households who is the light bearer of local firms in a to “supply in hydrocarbons the various in Equatorial Guinea”, Tradex’s Director petroleum industry dominated by mul- tanks, fishing trawlers and other ships de- General Perrial Jean Nyodog said during tinationals, announced in May 2015, it ploying over the Gulf of Guinea”. the official launching of the Camerooni- had given out 26% of its capital to the “Tradex wishes to actively contribute to an firm’s activities in Equatorial Guinea. Swiss firm Geogas.

Cameroon: the SCDP-Blaze Energy consortium will build the hydrocarbons terminal in the Kribi Port The Cameroonian government has just step forward in the activation of the sec- A Canadian company active in the up- assigned the counterparty of the part- ond phase of the construction of the deep stream oil and gas sector as well as an nership contract, for the funding, con- water Kribi Port, which in addition to intermediary, Blaze Energy is known struction and operation the hydrocar- the hydrocarbons terminal, should host in Cameroon, especially by SCDP, its bons terminal of the deep waters port of a second container terminal (to be built partner on the Kribi hydrocarbon ter- Kribi, in the Southern region of Cam- by the French-Chinese consortium Bol- minal. Indeed, in April 2015, this Cana- eroon. This is a consortium gathering loré-CMA CGM-CHEC); as well as an ore dian company won a market of almost the Société Camerounaise des Dépôts terminal, for which the tendering process FCfa 4 billion, for the construction of Pétroliers (SCDP), the public hydrocar- is still ongoing. It would be awarded to a two reservoirs of 6500 metre cube each bons company, and Blaze Energy, a Ca- Chinese company, we learned from a gov- at the SCDP warehouse in Douala, the nadian company. ernment memo announcing the setting economic capital of Cameroon. The choice of the consortium is a new up of a selection committee.

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Cameroon set to produce 34.6 million BO in 2016 According to the 2016 Budget bill which The optimistic forecast was due to the paired the dynamism and enthusiasm it is to present parliamentary within the fact that since 2013 various fields have of operators of Cameroon’s upstream next days, Cameroon plans to produce started production. This as a matter of petroleum sector? next year 34.6 million tons of crude oil. fact drove Cameroon’s daily produc- Though this cannot be clearly defined, This output exceeds the 27 million bo tion to surpass 100,000 barrels at pres- the sure thing is that despite the antici- and 24.4 million bo obtained in 2014 ent with an average of 60,000 barrels; pated increase announced, revenues for and 2013 respectively. something which has not occurred since their part will be decreasing in 2016 due The estimates included in this bill, 2002, SNH highlights in its 2015 report. to the constant price fall at the interna- however, are far below the initial expec- Cameroon will hence in 2016, produce tional level. Indeed, the country gave an tations of Société National des Hydro- far less crude oil than anticipated. About estimate of about 397.2 billion FCFA carbures (SNH) and World Bank who 23 million barrels less than the 57 mil- only, against 774 billion FCFA for this forecast that output in 2016 would be lion barrels initially projected. Could year. twice that of 2013, reaching 57 million it be that the actual price for the com- barrels at the end of the year. modity on the international market im- Chinese CPP to speed-up negotiations on Limbé-Edéa 355-km pipeline project

Zhao Yujian, the President of China According to our sources, Zhao Yujian from Limbé to Douala on 110Km; the Petroleum Pipeline Bureau (CPP), a came not only to affirm CPP’s commit- second 70Km will go from Douala to firm which belongs to the 3PL consor- ment in this important project but also Edéa whereas the last 175Km will link tium previously selected by Cameroon’s to speed-up the ongoing negotiations Yaoundé to Edéa. government to finance and construct a between 3PL consortium and the gov- Officially, the completion of this infra- 335km-long pipeline for distributing oil ernment of Cameroon. structure should result in decreasing by products, ended his three-day visit in Covering a distance of 355Km, the first more than 20% the price of oil products Cameroon on 5 November 2015. section of this pipeline is to extend in Cameroon.

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -51- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

Cameroon: Bowleven to drill two wells on the Etindé permit “as soon as possible in 2016”

This company also announced on 11 its stakes. This operation was approved stabilised at “7.3 million standard cubic November 2015, that its Moambe well is by a Presidential decree signed on Feb- feet, through 48/64 ring with a well head in production, on the Bomono permit. ruary 6, 2015. pressure of 664 psi”, without any “sign of AIM-listed British company Bowleven depletion” being noticed “during the ini- plans to drill “two appraisal wells high- Conclusive flow tests tial trial period”. lighting the significant upside potential Moreover, this oil and gas firm firm an- Based on these positive results on the identified on the intra Isongo reservoir” nounced that the hydrocarbons already well, where the discovery of hydro- on its Etindé permit, offshore Came- flowing from the Moambe well, one of carbons was officially announced by roon, a report on the company’s year two (with Zingana) drilled in 2015 on Bowleven on 28 September 2015, the ended on 30 June 2015 revealed. Ac- the Bomono licence, in the Cameroon British oil and gas company announced cording to Bowleven’s CEO, Kevin Hart, onshore. “The extension of the trials on in its report for the year ending 30 June these wells will be completed “as soon as the Moambe well aims at ascertaining the 2015, that it will submit during No- possible in 2016”. productivity and connectivity of the shal- vember 2015 an application for a gas The British oil and gas firm is highly low reservoir units. These reservoir units development licence on the Bomono optimistic about this project consider- are scheduled to become the source for the permit. ing that it already has a $40 million (22 initial supply of gas for the production of The Bomono licence, which is whol- billion FCFA) available budget for the electricity, based on a development plan ly-owned by Bowleven covers two drilling and testing works. set up with Actis and Eneo”, the sup- blocks of 2,328 km2 in the Douala basin Bowleven held 75% of the Etinde per- plier of public electricy in Cameroon, of Cameroon. This gas development mit, a set of three offshore blocks cov- Bowleven specified. licence expires on 12 December 2015, ering 2,316 km2 in Cameroon. However, On 25 November 2015, the company an- following an extension of year granted the British group later inked a stake-sale nounced that the flow tests on this well by the Cameroonian authorities in De- agreement with Russian Lukoil and were positive. On Moambe, Bowleven cember 2014. New-Age, transferring to them 50% of was able to undertake a gas production

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In Cameroon, the start-up Kemit Ecology processes plant waste into ecologic coal Since July 2014, date at which the activ- ities of the start-up Kemit Ecology were launched by young Cameroonian en- trepreneurs, households in Douala, the economic capital of the country, have access to ecologic coal resulting from the processing of vegetal waste collected from markets and households. Indeed, by scouring the markets and some areas of the economic capital on a tricycle, the developers of Kemit Ecol- ogy collect various wastes, which are “first dried at 150˚C, then reduced to ashes in an oven. The black ashes thus obtained are mixed with water and a ma- tons per month, provided that the com- coal consumed every month by the in- terial made from kaolin clay, in order to pany finds funding which will enable it habitants of Douala. get some type of coal pieces, which will be to increase its activity level. As a reminder, despite the breakthrough packaged and sold in bags of 1 to 40 kg”, Cheaper and two times less polluting of domestic gas and to a lesser extent, AFP described in a spot focusing on this than charcoal, the product from Kemit electric ovens, charcoal remains the green economy project. Ecology works well to preserve the en- main source of energy for households Thanks to this process, the start-up pro- vironment, by avoiding the destruction in Cameroon because of its relatively duces up to one ton of ecologic coal per of the Douala mangrove. Indeed, it is in affordable price. The use of this source month. This production capacity, ac- this mangrove that charcoal producers of energy is even more important in the cording to the promoters of Kemit Ecol- procure the necessary raw material for northern part of the country and the ru- ogy, could however be scaled up to 20 the production of the 90 tons of char- ral areas of Cameroon.

Total Cameroon: More than 90,000 Awango solar lamps sold each year Total Cameroon, Cameroonian subsid- iary of the French Oil and Gas Com- pany, upon reviewing its Awango solar lamps sales, said they were “a phenom- enal success”. According to the firm, more than 90,000 of these lamps are sold yearly in Cameroon, through its fuel stations network. First company to commercialize re- chargeable solar lamps in Cameroon, Total is now in competition with vari- ous products, mainly Chinese. However, the statistics of the firm are quite satis- fying considering that an Awango solar lamp goes for 7,000 FCFA whereas oth- was truly a breath of fresh air for locals, crease in that of candles and traditional er brands vary from 10 to 15,000 CFA especially those exposed to constant lamps, which previously caused many francs each. power outages. As a matter of facts, the fire-related damages in Cameroonian The arrival of solar lamps in Cameroon use of solar lamps led to a significant de- households.

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -53- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

Partial flooding of the Lom Pangar dam in Cameroon: Good report from the investors Pangar dam in September has already the retention of 3 billion m3 of water as at 24 November 2015. This water will be gradually released starting from De- cember 2015, at the request of Eneo, the public electricity service agent for the country; in order to ensure flow adjust- ments on the Sanaga river. According to Electricity Development Corporation (EDC), the developer of the Lom Pangar project, this adjustment will help in managing low water flows in 2016, while increasing by 70 MW, without any additional investment, the production of the Edéa and Songloulou On 27 November 2015, a delegation of of the remaining activities within the plants, which capacities dwindle during investors in the Lom Pangar dam pro- deadlines, because all stakeholders have the low water period, characterised by ject, currently under construction in demonstrated their ability to respect these the drop in the water level in the dams the Eastern region of Cameroon, made deadlines”, Stéphane Garnier, energy ex- of the country (Mape, Bamendjin and a new visit to the construction site. The pert at the World Bank, confided. Mbakaou). goal for this visit was to enable the inves- Christine Robichon, French ambassador Built by the Chinese company CWE, tors to assess the progress of the works, in Cameroon, who was supported by the the Lom Pangar dam, which be deliv- two months after its partial flooding in-country AFD director, declared her- ered in July 2016 with a final capacity which took place on 26 September 2015. self suitably impressed by the sheer size of retention of 6 billion cubic meters, is “A lot of work has been done. Proof of this of the project. “This is the biggest site I financed by the State of Cameroon, the is the possibility of doing the partial flood- have visited since my arrival in Came- World Bank, AFD, BEI, AfDB, and BDE- ing in September. This was a unanimous roon”, the French diplomat declared, AC. The construction of a production success. The work undertaken in June, before adding: “this dam is not yet com- plant at the foot of the dam has been July and August is phenomenal. But there pleted, but it already partially serves its scheduled, with a capacity of 30 MW, in is still a lot of work to do. However we are purpose”. order to bring electricity to several vil- confident about the successful completion Indeed, the partial flooding of the Lom lages int eh Eastern region.

Cameroon: Gazprom signs agreement to purchase gas from FLNG project off Kribi In Cameroon, an eight-year agree- the project is an allocation of 500 bcf ment has been signed between Gaz- of natural gas reserves which will be prom’s affiliated company, Gazprom supplied from the Sanaga Sud and Marketing & Trading Singapore Pte Ebome field by SNH and Perenco. Ltd (GM&TS), Société Nationale Gazprom, however, is to be the only des Hydrocarbures (SNH), Perenco off-taker from the FLNG terminal. Cameroon S.A. (PERCAM), Golar Golar will be the operator of the FLNG Hilli and Golar Cameroon (GOLAR) Terminal through its Hilli FLNG ves- for the floating liquefied natural gas sel which is at present under conver- (FLNG) project, off the coast of Kribi. sion at the Keppel shipyard in Singa- terminal are expected to commence in According to Offshore Energy Today, pore. In fact, first deliveries from the Q2 of 2017.

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Cameroon: Cima International lands FCFA 7 billion contract for Menchum dam Cameroon’s government just awarded Markets, Abba Sadou, reveals. another construction project (ongoing) a consortium comprised of Canadian At a cost of 6.9 billion FCFA, this con- in the Southern part of Cameroon firm Cima International and American tract is to be carried out over 5 years. namely, that of the Mekin dam. group ARQ Engineering, a contract for Cima International which is the head The Menchum dam will have a final the construction of a hydroelectric dam of the consortium recipient of this con- production capacity of 72 MW. in Menchum, Northern Cameroon, an tract is actually well-known in Came- official release from Minister of Public roon. The firm indeed, already manages Cameroon: In 2016, EDC will collect 6 to 8 billion FCFA as royalty fee for dams water

Starting from 2016, in respect to the reg- alty will range from 6 to 8 billion FCFA, to be made, Théodore Nsangou revealed ulatory law on electricity in Cameroon, EDC’s Director General Théodore to Business in Cameroon, that a signif- state-owned company Electricity Devel- Nsangou told pan-African newspa- icant portion of this royalty would be opment Corporation (EDC) will per- per Jeune Afrique. “Since our operating used to pay back fund which have been ceive from Eneo, public power supplier, budget is between 5 to 6 billion FCFA, we loaned to the State of Cameroon and a royalty fee for the dam waters it uses could do without the state subsidy and later retroceded to EDC for the con- in its activities related to the production even consider making some investments,” struction of the Lom Pangar dam in the and commercialization of electricity. Mr. Nsangou said. East. For the first year of collection, this roy- Moreover, asides allowing investments

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -55- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

After Minim Martap, Hyrdomine now reaches out for Cameroon’s power sector

Peter Lionel Briger on the 11th March es in accordance to Cameroon’s legis- even mining expertise, said it would in- 2015 established in Cameroon a subsid- lation”. An objective which perfectly vest around 5,000 billion FCFA in the iary of the American firm Hydromine. fits the reputation of this firm in the bauxite project. Hydromine Cameroon Ltd, the head country. Finally, despite unyielding multiple an- office of this subsidiary, has a capital of It should be recalled that Hydromine nouncements, the project will be taken one million Cfa francs and is at Douala, somehow bluffed on a significant pro- back in 2009 by Cameroon Alumina Cameroon’s economic city, a legal re- ject involving bauxite exploitation in (CAL) of which 45% is owned by emi- lease published on November 3, 2015, Minim Martap and Ngaoundal in the rati firm Dubal ; 45% by the Indian stated. Northern part of Cameroon. In fact, Hindalco and only 10% for Hydromine This firm is socially dedicated to the Hydromine, who appeared, at the time, about whom not much has been heard establishment of energy projects and to be just a minor American start-up for months now. of “any activity launched by business- with no offices, financial resources or

Danish firm Maersk Drilling Services closes Cameroonian branch On 29 July 2015, executives of the Dan- wide offering them highly efficient exploration is slowing down in Came- ish group Maersk decided to close the drilling services on their various pro- roon, as operators concentrate more on Cameroonian branch of their Maersk jects. production at the deposits discovered Drilling Services subsidiary specialized Maersk Drilling Services’ departure during the 2010 exploitation. in supporting oil and gas firms world- happens in a context where oil and gas

-56- December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 BUSINESS IN CAMEROON TRANSPORTATION

Despite Kribi’s arrival, Douala’s port will remain a first-class logistics hub – Cyrille Bolloré

As he came to Douala on 19 October holder with APMT, the Port Autonome president of Bolloré Transport Logis- 2015 for the official commissioning of de Douala (PAD) and with local pri- tics said that the group was currently the nine new locomotives which were vates on DIT (Douala International preparing, “in collaboration with port recently offered Camrail to boost its Terminal which is the concessionaire authorities, a plan for extending and towing capacity, Cyrille Bolloré, Pres- of Douala’s container terminal), will modernizing the port of Douala”; plan ident of Bolloré Transport Logistics, continue to invest in the port of Doua- they would present “before the end of clearly stated the plans his firm has la which will remain a first-class logis- the year”. “I confirm that in collabora- for their container terminal at Doua- tics hub,” Mr Bolloré said. However, tion with the Director General of the la’s port as Kribi’s deep water port is Cyrille Bolloré’s statements sound like Douala port, we initiated procedures soon to go online. The Bolloré group, a response to the worries expressed to acquire the third gantry crane; pro- partnering with Chinese CHEC and by various experts and observers con- cedures that had been postponed in French shipping company CMA CGM, cerning the future of Douala’s port as 2011 by the Managing Director of the has in fact recently been awarded the some already predicted its death after port at the time,” he added. terminal container for this new port. Kribi’s deep water port goes online. “Let me say that our group, co-share- Going against these predictions, the

South African firm Grindrod lands in Cameroon The South African firm Grindrod who Christian Schoeman and Ferrar Pat- ings maintenance, etc”. supplies locomotives to 43 countries rick Michaël Southey. The arrival of Grindrod in Cameroon in Africa, has installed last 2 Septem- In Cameroon, the South African com- should bolster the country’s partnership ber a subsidiary in Cameroon. The pany plans on providing integrated with Camrail, Cameroonian rail carrier, company is named Grindrod Rail railway services and logistics solutions. to which the South African firm deliv- Cameroon Ltd, a legal release released These services include “freight man- ered 13.5 billion worth of locomotives October 27, 2015, discloses. At the agement, provision of specialized rolling (nine in total) since the beginning of the head of this subsidiary are Michaël stock materials, railway and railway sid- year.

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -57- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

Bolloré to finance construction for Ngaoundéré-Ndjaména and Edéa-Kribi-Lolablé railways During his visit in Douala on 19 Octo- French logistics specialist wants to be an of Spanish firm Ardanuy, Pakistanese ber 2015, Cyrille Bolloré, president of active part in this railway construction Umar Munshi Associates, British CVG Bolloré Transport Logistics, announced project for sub-regional integration. Engineering and Cameroonian Bonus that the Bolloré group intended to fi- In addition to the railway extending to Consulting to conduct feasibility studies nance the feasibility studies and con- Chad and estimated at a cost of 1,160- for the project to build the Edéa-Kribi struction works for the railway that ex- 1,400 billion FCFA, the leader in logis- (Lolablé excluded) railway. tends from Ngaoundéré in the Northern tics for Sub-Saharan Africa also eyes The Edéa-Kribi-Lolablé railway will part of Cameroon to Ndjamena, Chad’s the Edéa-Kribi-Lolablé railway project. help boost the exploitation of Kribi’s capital city. “We have told Cameroonian authorities deep water port which should go on- Previously selected as technical expert we desire to finance the construction for line within the next months. During the on this project by both governments, the the Edéa-Kribi-Lolablé railway as part of phase 2 of its construction, the port of Bolloré group until now was “providing our contribution in the project for Kribi’s Kribi will host, among other new infra- support for the conducted studies ; help- industrial-port complex,” Cyrille Bolloré structures, a hydrocarbon terminal and ing in preparing project’s file for its pres- says. an iron ore terminal, in preparation of entation to investors ; arranging meetings It should be reminded that Came- upcoming exploitation of gas liquefac- with investors ; participating in talks and roon’s government, at the beginning of tion unit in Kribi, and that of iron ore in the setting-up of institutional and fi- October 2015, designated a grouping mines in Eastern Cameroon. nancial structures”. Now however, the of technical studies offices comprised Boeing Consulting to establish plan for Camair Co’s re-launching

The government of Cameroon has put Akame Mfoumou revealed. dit firm, as required by the ministry of Fi- Boeing Consulting in charge of the Responding to Edouard Akame Mfou- nance, is therefore going as planned”. elaboration of the re-lauching plan for mou’s request to get the president’s ap- Last September, the minister of Finance Cameroon Airlines Corporation (Ca- proval to resort to the services of Boeing Alamine Ousmane Mey, launched “a mair Co), a correspondence from the Consulting to re-launch Camair Co, the call to interest to recruit a consultant to Secretary General at the Presidency, correspondence states that “this option audit and support Camair Co through Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, sent on Octo- does not exclude the participation of oth- the elaboration of a re-launch plan”. The ber 9, 2015, to the chairman of Camair er qualified firms in Camair Co’s audit. deadline for the submission of propos- Co’s board of directors (CBD), Edouard The procedure for the selection of an au- als was on 30 September 2015.

-58- December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 BUSINESS IN CAMEROON INDUSTRY Cameroon: Sosucam plans a production of 124,000 of sugar in 2015-2016 The Société Sucrière du Cameroun (SOSUCAM – Sugar Company of Cam- eroon), subsidiary of the French group Vilgrain and leader on the Cameroonian sugar market, is expecting a production of 124,000 tons during the 2015-2016 season, which started on 26 October and should end in June 2016, we learned from official sources. This production in decrease compared to the 150,000 tons planned for the pre- vious season, is also not very far from the average of 130,000 tons produced by this food processor over the past five years. This, upon further analysis, reveals that the investments so far have not yet yielded results. Indeed, we remember that Louis Yinda, CEO of SOSUCAM, had announced at the start of the 2013-2014 season that this company would invest FCfa 110 Nkoteng and Mbandjock, in the Cen- and to install some basic infrastruc- billion in succession starting from that tral region of the country. ture, while 3,500 hectares were already season, in order to reach a production In practical terms, Mr. Yinda then ex- planted. The remaining 3,000 were to level of 170,000 tons from 2017. The plained, this means that out of the new be planted, at the rate of 1,000 hectares money thus raised was meant to main- 10,000 hectares granted to the company on average per year beginning with the ly enable the expansion of the 23,000 in 2005 through an emphyteutic lease 2013-2014 campaign, in order to in- hectares of sugar cane crop currently signed with the State of Cameroon, al- crease the production. operated by SOSUCAM in the areas of most 3,500 were used for roads layout Payment for Cameroon’s cotton producers delayed by six months The cotton producers operating in the Payouni, Vice-President of the National from the sale of the cotton. northern regions of Cameroon have Confederation of Cotton Producers of As a reminder, SODECOTON manages been waiting for payment for over six Cameroon (CNPCC), explained. approximately 250,000 producers. In months, we learned from reliable sourc- Considering the unease in the cotton order to cover its purchases from pro- es. The treasury challenges currently producers’ union, Le Quotidien de ducers in due time, the company some- experienced by the Société de Dével- l’Economie reveals, the Camerooni- times resorts to credits generally ob- oppement du Coton (SODECOTON an State supposedly decided to make tained from local banks. On 27 January – Cotton Development Company) are FCfa 30 billion available to SODECO- 2015, FCfa 36.5 billion were raised from at the origin of these rather rare pay- TON, to enable this public company a pool of five local banks to purchase ment delays, following the delays in ex- honour its commitments to the pro- 266,400 tons of cotton in 2015. porting the cotton fibre cargo, Bebnoné ducers, while awaiting the proceeds

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -59- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

Céréalis, French grains dealer gets 20% of its revenue from Cameroon

Remi Depoix, president of French firm rica (exporting a million tons of grains), considering that the country has started Céréalis which is specialized in the trad- Céréalis exports to Cameroon amounts exporting to countries such as Chad, Cen- ing of grains, revealed that the firm ex- to nearly 26 billion FCFA each year. tral Africa and Nigeria,” he adds. ports around 200,000 tons of its wheat Céréalis intends within the 10 next years Let us be reminded that since the clo- to Cameroon each year. This represents to double this revenue in both markets sure of Société de développement du blé about 20% of Céréalis’ sales revenue, he with Cameroon as its first buyer, Remi (Sodéblé) back in the 90s, Cameroon says in an interview to the daily l’Econ- Dupoix declared. “The milling indus- has been importing all of its wheat. omie. try is quite significant in Cameroon with In 2012 for example, official statistics Clearly put, out of approximately 200 around twelve important actors. New mills showed that more than 517,000 tons of million euros (131 billion CFA Francs) will soon open and previously closed ones the product were imported at a cost of it makes yearly in Central and West Af- reopen. The activity is truly important 102 billion FCFA. Cameroonian Union of Breweries increases capital stock from 2.9 to 25 billion FCFA The Union Camerounaise des Bras- 2.9 billion FCFA, a legal release reveals. breweries, and about 15% for Guinness, series (UCB) founded and owed by Though details and motivations to this the local subsidiary of Diageo group. the Cameroonian industrialist Joseph increase in capital were not disclosed, it A fourth operator should soon be enter- Kadji Defosso (ranked by Forbes mag- is most likely that the recapitalization ing the market within the next months. azine among the nine most wealthy in precedes new investments, on a Cam- It is Brasaf, a firm founded in August Cameroon and 24 biggest fortunes in eroonian market where UCB is more of 2014 by Samuel Foyou who already francophone sub-Saharan Africa), just a Tom Thumb with less than 5% of the owns Fermencam, a distillery he bought significantly increased its capital stock. shares, against 80% for the leader, the from billionaire Victor Fotso in 2006. It has surged to 25 billion FCFA from anonymous company of Cameroon’s

-60- December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 BUSINESS IN CAMEROON

Castel group invests FCfa 10.7 billion in a new production line in Cameroon

The Société Anonyme des Brasseries ciété des Eaux Minérales du Cameroun SABC had a net income of FCfa 24.7 du Cameroun (SABC), local subsidiary (SEMC). billion in 2014, for a turnover of FCfa of French group Castel, commissioned With more than 80% shares of the beer 351.7 billion, an increase of 6.9% com- on 28 November 2015 in Yaoundé, the and fizzy drinks market in Cameroon, pared to the previous year. capital of Cameroon, a new condition- ing line of FCfa 10.7 billion. With a bottling capacity of 28,000 bot- tles per hour, this “HST”, as nicknamed Cameroon: Sébastien Roux by Francis Batista, Managing Direc- tor of SABC, is the second line of this appointed as Laborex’s Director range in Africa, after South Africa, the Managing Director of the leading com- pany in the Cameroonian brewing in- General dustry stressed. On September 1, 2015, French Sébas- orex Cameroon. The new line, which commissioning tien Roux succeeded to Patrick Wille- Laborex Cameroun is part of Euraphar- coincides with the end of year, a peri- min as Director General of Laborex ma, a network specialized in the distri- od of high consumption, will generate Cameroon, the company announced in bution and provision of pharmaceuti- 70 new direct jobs. These will come in release published on 5 October 2015. cal products and services. Controlled addition to the 6,000 people already In other news, Eric Muris, a repre- by the CFAO group, this network cov- employed in the country by SABC and sentative of the French firm Sevpharm ers Madagascar, French overseas terri- its subsidiaries, the Société Camerou- which replaced Serom within Laborex’s tories as well as more than 20 African naise de Verreries (SOCAVER) and So- administration board, also joined Lab- countries.

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Cameroon: Compagnie fruitière of Marseille to establish cocoa processing unit in Njombé Plantations du Haut Penja (PHP), region, a cocoa processing unit. of Compagnie fruitière Africa, Jean Marc Cameroonian subsidiary of Marseille’s The project which aims to produce Made Gravellini, during an audience held on Compagnie Fruitière and leader of in Cameroon chocolate was presented November 4, 2015, in Yaoundé. Cameroon’s dessert banana market, to Cameroon’s Minister of Agriculture, Specific details concerning the agro-in- plans to establish in Njombé, Coastal Henri Eyébé Ayissi, by the Vice-President dustrial project have not yet been dis- closed. However, this project for the implementation of a cocoa processing unit announced by PHP will join other similar which are to be realized in the country and aim to process, on the me- dium term, 70% of locally produced co- coa beans against 25% only at present. Asides this new branching in its activ- ities in Cameroon, PHP who also pro- duces white pepper at Penja, recently launched a procedure to strengthen its leadership on the banana market, by ex- panding its banana plantations. As a matter of fact, in addition to the 3,000 acres of plantations it exploits in Cameroon’s coastal region (for a total output of 170,000 tons of banana in 2015), PHP “is presently expanding its banana plantations in Dehane (in the South). This expansion will be done in various stages and will cover 800 acres. During the first stage, 52 acres are to be irrigated. To this end, we will need over- head materials so as to prepare the land,” the company stated in a call to tenders dated July 2014.

Cassava processing plant commissioned in Ngoulémakong, Southern Cameroon Ultracom is the name of Ngouléma- specialized in agricultural processing far from Sangmélima which also hosts kong’s unit for Cassava Processing and (PACD/SME) and led by Minister for another important industrial unit, the Commercialization. With a processing SMEs, the government of Cameroon SOTRAMAS. This unit which process- capacity of 7-8 tons per day, this unit disbursed 36 million FCFA for the im- es 120 tons of cassava daily and is the which is located in the Southern part plementation of this industrial unit spe- product of a joint-venture between the of Cameroon was just commissioned cialized in the production of Tapioca, local municipality and the Chamber for by Minister for SMEs, Laurent Serge and cassava flour which is highly con- Commerce, is delaying in the launching Etoundi Ngoa. The commissioning hap- sumed in Cameroon and neighboring of its activities due to the lack of raw pened in the framework of the upcom- countries such as Nigeria. materials but also to squabbles among ing cassava feast. Ngoulémakong which is one of the leaders. Through its program to support the es- main production basins of Cameroon tablishment and development of SMEs (7,600 tons produced annually), is not

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Swedish Assa Abloy, Vachette locks manufacturer implants subsidiary in Cameroon Vachette, the renowned lock brand pre- William Bureau, manager Assa Abloy it. They believe Vachette is manufactured viously present in Cameroon through a central Africa, says the Swedish firm’s in China which is completely false. We legal representative, will from now on arrival in Cameroon aimed at restore are here to tell them where lies the orig- be through its main dealer, knowingly the image of Vachette in the country, inal product, and get rid of all Vachette Swedish firm Assa Abloy. Indeed, it was where many counterfeited versions of counterfeited products. This is why we revealed during a recent commissioning this brand circulate thus leading to con- are here. We reach out to retailers daily to ceremony in Douala for a showroom of fusion. fight against the counterfeited products,” this company that it had established a “The fact is that Vachette is so counterfeit- William Bureau declared. subsidiary in Cameroon six months ago. ed that people have started losing faith in Cameroon: French group Le Duff to open four “Brioche Dorée” restaurants starting 2016

On November 4, 2015, the French news- of its plan for expansion in Africa. This and more than 125,000 sandwiches sold papers Ouest-France disclosed that plan includes the opening of 30 restau- daily. The brand was created in 1976 “Brioche Dorée”, the restaurant brand rants in seven African countries (Cam- and operates in the following sectors: owned by the French group Le Duff, in eroon, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Congo, fast food, conventional catering, in- partnership with CFAO would land in Ghana and DR Congo) over the next dustrial-scale production of bread and Cameroon next year. 10 years. pastries. As at present, the group counts Four. That is the number of Brioche “Brioche Dorée” is the leader of the more than 1,300 restaurants and baker- Dorée restaurants that Le Duff is about French-style fast-food industry with ies in 80 countries worldwide. to open in Cameroon in the framework more than 500 restaurants worldwide

December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 -63- BUSINESS IN CAMEROON CSR

Cameroon: The Western Union Foundation offers $200,000 to help children from SOS Children’s village The Western Union Foundation, the charitable arm of the world’s money transfer giant, just offered a 200,000 dollars check (around FCFA 100 mil- lion) to the heads of SOS Children’s village, a non-profit organization which takes in and train abandoned and vul- nerable children all around Africa. The Western Union Foundation said said, “The Foundation is dedicated to cational access through scholarships and this grant which is the result of con- creating a better world, where the ability distribution of essential school supplies; tributions from Western Union agents to make dreams can come true through improving the quality of education at the worldwide would help support educa- economy opportunities is not restricted to primary and secondary levels through the tion of children from SOS Children’s a few but is a right for all”. construction of new facilities and the pro- villages in 15 African countries includ- “This donation will directly impact more visioning of new activities; and the inclu- ing Cameroon. Patrick Gaston, Presi- than 700 orphaned and other vulnerable sion of new technology in the curriculum”, dent of the Western Union Foundation, African children by, increasing their edu- he adds. MTN Cameroon wins Women from Orange “21 Days of Y’ello Cameroon provide Care” for the third time 250 kits to kids from MTN Cameroon, subsidiary of South African telecom group MTN International disadvantaged areas has once again won the “21 For this 2015 new school year, The Women Association of Or- Days of Y’ello Care” contest. ange Cameroon just launched the 11th edition of its “Back-to- This contest “awards the best School Program”. On this occasion, the structure announced among MTN’s subsidiaries in in a release, that 250 school kits were offered to children and terms of employees’ social in- young people from disadvantaged areas. volvement”. Each kit contains “one schoolbag, pens and pencils, books, and It is the third time in four years that MTN Cameroon wins this school fees for each kid”, stated the release. contest beating the other 21 subsidiaries in the run. Just like Comprised of 100 members, the Association of Women of in 2012 and 2013 where it previously won, MTN Cameroon Orange “is the product of a desire to form a group concerned will receive a check of 50 million FCFA which it will reinvest with solidarity and development”. Moreover, the core mission in social projects. of the institution is to assist in any possible manner the dis- MTN Cameroon’s employees using their past two prizes plan advantaged populations, through programs such as the Back- to build a Mother-Child pavilion at the Bonassama District to-School program, the training of child mothers, establishing Hospital, in the fourth municipality of Douala. community libraries…

-64- December 2015-January 2016 / N° 34-35 BUSINESS IN CAMEROON MINING Cameroon’s fourth cement plant Medcem Cameroon start commercializing its product Hundreds of cement bags were recent- effective commercialization of the ce- replace the Quifeurou cement”, said an ly brought to the Quifeurou hardware ment. Truly, it was announced that this employee of the hardware store men- store in Biyem-Assi, Yaoundé. With the cement factory would open since March tioning that the cement his employer traditional blue and red colors usually 2015, but it was later postponed to June imports, bags and stamps is soon to exit associated with Dangote Cement Cam- and finally it is in October that the first the market. eroon, these bags distinguish themselves bags of cement of Medcem Cameroon, Unfortunately, just as it was the case with the inscription “Medcem Came- subsidiary of Turkish group Eren Hold- with Cimaf and Dangote, the arrival of roon”, name of the fourth cement pro- ings, have landed on the market. A most Medcem Cameroon on the market may ducer to come in Cameroon and join- discrete landing one must say. not significantly impact on the price of ing the three others namely Lafarge’s Credible sources revealed that the Qui- this commodity in Cameroon. Indeed, Cimencam, Addoha’s Cimaf and Aliko feuron chain of hardware stores is the Medcem’s 50Kg-cement bag costs 4,750 Dangote’s Dangote Cement. only selling the product for now. Talks FCFA, just a little below the 4,800 FCFA A plate laid on the side of this cargo of exclusivity are even circulating with- and 5,000 FCFA for the competing firms served to dissipate all doubts about the in the chain. “This is cement which will in Yaoundé. Young Cameroonian scientist develops laterite-based eco-cement Patrick Lemougna Ninla, young Cam- eroonian scientist, has just been hon- oured in Yaoundé with the Kwame Nk- rumah National Young Scientists Award which is under the helm of the African Union and the World Academy of Sci- ence for the advancement of sciences in developing countries (AU-TWAS). Receiving the distinction directly from the Minister for scientific research and Innovation, Madeleine Tchuinté, the youth owes it to an invention which is about to stir a little revolution in the ce- ment sector. Indeed, the 30-year old scientist, chem- istry graduate of the University of Yaoundé I, has developed a cement va- riety made of laterite, material which is available on 70% of Cameroon, but not really used. . In addition to the availability of this material, the “cement made in Lemoun- Portland cement made from clincker should contribute in the lowering of ce- ga” presents diverse ecologic advantag- and pozzolan heated at 1,400 degrees. ment prices in Cameroon and Africa as es one of which is that, its production With an available and cheap raw ma- dreams the young scientist. emits substantially less CO2 than the terial, this laterite-based eco-cement

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IMIC to give out assets on Nkout Iron project in Southern Cameroon British mining company International payment, or taking shares in Caminex, which argued that there was no provi- Mining and Infrastructure Corporation at 10 000 FCFA the share. In this scenar- sion backing this tax at the time of the (IMIC), who acquired the assets of Affe- io, IMIC is to agree to an indirect trans- transaction in 2013. ro Mining in Caminex, the Camerooni- fer of assets valued to about 49.5% of Cameroon’s tax authority who howev- an law firm developing the Nkout Iron Caminex’s capital. er strongly affirms that the inclusion of project, in the Southern part of Cam- This fundraising should draw the at- this provision in the 2015 finance act was eroon; just announced the successful tention of Cameroon’s tax authority, no more than a “clarification” of a pro- realization of a convertible bonds offer- which recently had to jostle with IMIC vision that already existed at the time of ing worth 22 million FCFA (13 billion for the payment of a sum exceeding the transaction between IMIC and Affero FCFA). With a four-year maturity, this one billion FCFA which represents the Mining in 2013, then ordered the mining operation has an interest rate of 15%. tax corresponding to Affero’s takeover firm’s accounts seized. IMIC then paid In 2019 when it ends, all those that sub- by IMIC in Caminex (100%), in 2013. the tax required by the Directorate Gen- scribed to this bond will be given the The TAN issued on August 7, 2015, eral of Taxes, hence over obtaining the opportunity to get a full or partial re- was contested by the mining company, cancellation of seizure order. Cameroun to increase gold production in the Adamaoua region With the partial set-up of the Lom Pangar dam last 24 Sep- tember 2015, about 5,357 min- ing workers and 31 mining firms have been asked to leave various gold mining sites which are soon to be submerged by the waters of this dam in construc- tion in Cameroon’s East, rich in various ores. However, new mining sites will soon be opened for exploitation in the Adamaoua region, Cam- eroon’s Northern region, as an alternative to the stopping of mining on the previously men- tioned sites where government had in 2007 launched an opera- tion to save 13 tons of gold. “This has been revealed by the national coordinator of program supporting artisanal mining (Capam), Jean Marcel Essomba. These evacuations are not really felt since we are, at the same time, launching exploitation of other sites, in the Adamaoua. It just looks like a displacement of activ- ities. But the fact remains that we could have gained more if there was no dam to fill,” he says.

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