Business

1, April 2026

Yaoundé: WTO Ministerial Conference ends without a breakthrough ⁰

The World Trade Organization’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) concluded in Yaounde with ministers adopting a set of decisions, while deferring several critical trade issues to further negotiations in Geneva, after four days of intensive talks involving nearly 2,000 officials and more than 90 ministers.

Chaired by Cameroon’s Minister of Trade Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, the conference secured agreements on integrating small economies into the global trading system and improving implementation of special and differential treatment provisions under sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and technical barriers to trade (TBT) agreements.

However, key negotiations on electronic commerce, fisheries subsidies and intellectual property-related moratoriums remained unresolved due to time constraints. Mbarga Atangana said ministers worked across multiple negotiation tracks to conclude as many issues as possible, describing the process as intensive and time-bound. He confirmed that discussions fell short on several outstanding files, including the WTO’s e-commerce work programme and the renewal of moratoriums on customs duties for electronic transmissions and non-violation complaints under the TRIPS Agreement.

The unresolved issues carry economic significance, particularly the expiring moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions, which underpins cross-border digital trade flows, and the TRIPS-related moratorium affecting intellectual property disputes. Both measures are set to expire at the end of March 2026, raising uncertainty for global digital commerce and innovation-driven sectors.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said members made progress on advancing a reform work programme and discussions on fisheries subsidies, while outlining a pathway to finalise outstanding agreements in Geneva.

“A lot was accomplished. We decided to work differently. I think we have a new WTO way of working to modernize the way we do business, so we can be more nimble, more responsive as we move forward,” Okonjo-Iweala stated.

Ministers agreed to continue negotiations on fisheries subsidies, with the objective of delivering recommendations at the 15th Ministerial Conference in line with commitments under the existing agreement. The talks are aimed at tightening disciplines on harmful subsidies that affect global fish stocks and maritime economies.

The conference also consolidated draft texts forming what has been termed a “Yaounde package”. The package comprises five draft instruments, which includes a proposed ministerial declaration on WTO reform, decisions on electronic commerce, TRIPS-related moratoriums, fisheries subsidies, and a package for least developed countries (LDCs). These texts are expected to form the basis for continued negotiations at the next WTO General Council meeting in Geneva.

“We are very close to a Yaounde package of agreements that would be important for members and the future of the organization. But we are not all the way there yet,” Okonjo-Iweala

The Ministerial Conference, the WTO’s highest decision-making body, is typically held every two years and serves as a platform for setting global trade rules. The Yaoundé meeting marked only the second time the conference has been hosted in Africa, placing regional trade priorities, including development and integration, at the centre of discussions.

Final decisions on the pending agreements, including those affecting digital trade and intellectual property frameworks, are now expected to be pursued in Geneva, where members will seek to convert draft texts into binding outcomes.

Source: Business in Cameroon

31, March 2026

CPDM Crime Syndicate: France flags payment delays as risk to investment climate ⁰

France has raised concerns with Cameroon over delayed payments to French companies working on public contracts, flagging the issue as a growing strain in economic ties between the two countries.

Following talks with Cameroon’s finance minister, Louis Paul Motaze, France’s minister delegate for foreign trade and attractiveness, Nicolas Forissier, identified the issue as a key obstacle to expanding business relations.

“There is an important issue that needs to be resolved if we want to bring in more companies or build new partnerships, and that is the fact that payments are sometimes delayed,” he said.

Behind the warning is a recurring problem: late settlement of government contracts. French authorities say these delays weigh on investor confidence and make the business environment harder to assess.

Cameroonian officials acknowledge the issue, particularly in the public works sector. A senior official at the Ministry of Public Works said the state owes tens of billions of CFA francs to a French company involved in urban and intercity road projects. Such arrears have fueled concern among companies operating in the country, even as investment needs remain high.

For Paris, the issue goes beyond unpaid bills.

Faster settlement of public debts is seen as a direct way to improve the business climate. “There are always reasons, I understand that perfectly, but anything that helps eliminate payment delays also improves the attractiveness of Cameroon’s economy,” Forissier said.

France is offering to deepen technical cooperation with Cameroon, particularly in public financial management and administrative processes, to help reduce payment timelines. “France is ready to provide its expertise to find solutions that improve the business climate and encourage more French companies to invest in Cameroon,” he added.

Paris has also pointed to broader concerns about the investment environment. Forissier cited “certain uncertainties” that may be holding back economic activity, including the need for greater predictability, transparency, and clarity in regulations.

He also highlighted issues related to regulatory stability, administrative processes, and corporate taxation, suggesting that improvements in these areas would help create a more stable and attractive environment for long-term investment.

France remains a major economic partner for Cameroon. According to Forissier, it is the country’s sixth-largest trading partner, with more than 200 French companies operating locally and employing over 20,000 people.

Trade between the two countries reached nearly CFA1,000 billion (about €1.5 billion) in 2023, according to French government data. That figure was down 9% from 2022 but up 57% compared with 2015.

Over the same period, French exports to Cameroon fell 11% to CFA376 billion, while imports from Cameroon declined 9% to CFA602 billion, leaving the trade balance in Cameroon’s favor.

For France, the priority is clear: maintain strong economic ties while securing progress on payment timelines, regulatory clarity, and administrative stability—conditions seen as essential to restoring investor confidence.

Source: Sbbc

27, March 2026

13 Cameroonians selected for the 2026 cohort of Tony Elumelu Foundation Program ⁰

Thirty Cameroonian entrepreneurs have been selected for the 2026 cohort of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), securing a combined $150,000 (approximately 90 million CFA francs) in seed funding to support business creation and expansion. The beneficiaries were announced on Sunday, March 22, at an official unveiling ceremony in Abuja, where 3,200 entrepreneurs from across Africa were confirmed for the Foundation’s 12th cohort.

Each entrepreneur will receive $5,000, along with structured training, mentorship and access to a continent-wide business network. The initiative targets small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), identified as key drivers of employment and economic activity, particularly amid high youth unemployment and limited formal job opportunities.

The 30 Cameroonian beneficiaries, 12 of them women, were selected from a pool of more than 265,000 applicants across all 55 African countries. According to TEF Chief Executive Officer Somachi Chris-Asoluka, the programme maintains a success rate of over 77.5 per cent. Since its launch in 2015, the Foundation has invested $100 million to support more than 24,000 entrepreneurs across the continent. These businesses have collectively generated over $4.2 billion in revenue and created approximately 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs, highlighting the scale of SME-led economic activity linked to the initiative.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, TEF founder Tony Elumelu said the selected entrepreneurs demonstrated resilience in challenging conditions.

“We did not choose you because your path was easy. We chose you because you kept going when it wasn’t,” he said, adding that supporting entrepreneurs remains central to tackling poverty. He stressed that SMEs remain the most effective engines of job creation and urged beneficiaries to drive Africa’s economic development.

In Cameroon, TEF-backed businesses have generated more than $20 million (around 12 billion CFA francs) in revenue and created over 58,000 jobs since 2015, with more than 800 entrepreneurs supported across sectors such as agriculture, technology, retail and energy. The programme’s regional footprint extends across the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), where supported enterprises in countries including Chad, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of Congo report revenues estimated in the tens of millions of dollars alongside significant job creation. Cameroon remains a consistent participant, with 56 beneficiaries selected in 2025, bringing the national total over the past decade to 866. For the Foundation, the continued funding reflects efforts to strengthen SME capacity, expand self-employment opportunities and reduce reliance on traditional job markets amid evolving economic conditions.

Source: Business in Cameroon

27, March 2026

Yaoundé: Trade ministers gather for make-or-break WTO reform talks ⁰

Trade ministers from across the world convened in Cameroon’s capital on Thursday for four days of negotiations on reforming the World Trade Organization, with diplomats warning that failure to reach an agreement could push countries to set trade rules outside the body entirely — a development that could accelerate the fragmentation of the global trading system.

The gathering in Yaoundé arrives at an exceptionally fraught moment. Ministers are contending with the economic fallout from the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has sent energy prices soaring and disrupted food supply chains, compounding a year of tariff turmoil triggered by President Donald Trump’s aggressive use of trade measures. “From a business perspective this could yet become the worst industrial crisis in living memory,” said John Denton, secretary-general of the International Chamber of Commerce, pointing specifically to fertiliser supply disruptions that threaten food security across Africa.

Deep divisions, no roadmap

Ministers arrive without a clear reform agenda, after years of stalled multilateral deals and six years of paralysis in the WTO’s dispute settlement system. The divisions are significant: the United States supports reform in principle but is resisting a detailed work plan, while the European Union, Britain, and China are pushing for one, according to internal documents seen by Reuters. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said she expected the talks to be difficult.

The stakes of failure have been laid out starkly by several delegations. Swiss Ambassador Erwin Bollinger warned that without concrete outcomes, “the WTO will lose its attractiveness and relevancy.” UK trade minister Chris Bryant went further, raising the prospect of institutional collapse. “My anxiety is if we ministers don’t get this week right, you might see a disorderly collapse of the WTO and some people writing a new rule book,” he said.

Flash points

Among the most contentious issues is the future of a moratorium on customs duties for digital downloads, which has become a battleground between Washington and New Delhi. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is expected to tell members the United States is “not interested” in a temporary extension, insisting only a permanent arrangement is acceptable. India is likely to hold its opposition, while other countries are seeking a two-year extension. South Korea’s trade minister called a failure to extend the moratorium a “big blow” to both the WTO and the global economy.

The talks have also been overshadowed by the absence of Taiwan, which was excluded after host country Cameroon described it as a province of China — a move likely to draw its own diplomatic fallout on the sidelines of the conference.

Source: Businessday.ng

27, March 2026

World Bank Group statement on the conflict in the Middle East ⁰

A number of the World Bank Group’s clients in emerging markets have reached out to us as the conflict in the Middle East has started to impact commodity prices and logistics. We are working with governments, the private sector, regional partners, and other stakeholders to help them through this new set of challenges.

We are closely monitoring global market developments, and we are in direct contact with the most affected client countries to understand what they are facing on the ground. Shipping route disruptions are increasing costs, and supply risks are spreading from energy into fertilizers and other critical agricultural inputs. Crude oil prices increased by nearly 40 percent between February and March, the price of liquefied natural gas shipments to Asia rose by almost two-thirds, and the prices of nitrogen-based fertilizers increased by nearly 50 percent in March.

The World Bank Group is moving quickly to help client countries to navigate this crisis. We are ready to respond at scale — combining immediate financial relief with policy expertise and private sector support for the recovery of jobs and growth. We will draw on the full range of instruments we have available to support governments, firms, and households. Our aim is to deliver immediate relief by leveraging our active portfolio, our crisis response toolkit, and pre-arranged financing facilities. We will transition progressively to fast-disbursing instruments anchored in sound policies to underpin recovery. Through our private sector arms, we will provide firms with essential liquidity, trade finance, and working capital.

Clearly, this is an evolving situation and we cannot predict the full range of impacts. As everyone has said, the longer this lasts, and the more damage there is to critical infrastructure, the more challenging this will be for our clients. That said, we are determined to be helpful and do all we can to safeguard some of the hard-won economic progress that these countries are making.

25, March 2026

Inside the failed mediation between Afriland and Cameroon’s Deposit Fund ⁰

More details have emerged about the failed mediation attempt in the dispute between Cameroon’s Deposit and Consignment Fund (CDEC) and Afriland First Bank over a guarantee of about CFA4.3 billion. Initiated at the bank’s request, the effort ultimately collapsed, even as it sought to prevent the forced recovery of funds linked to a public contract worth more than CFA14 billion awarded to BOFAS Sarl for the rehabilitation of the Babajou-Bamenda road. Despite the involvement of financial authorities, the talks broke down over fundamental legal disagreements.

A mediation push led by Afriland First Bank

On July 10, 2025, Afriland First Bank’s chief executive, Célestin Guela Simo, formally requested mediation from Pierre Emmanuel Nkoa Ayissi, secretary-general of the National Economic and Financial Committee (CNEF).

In a letter reviewed by Business in Cameroon, the bank warned that enforcement measures targeting its assets could trigger panic, lead to mass withdrawals, and destabilize the financial system. It also cautioned that “such a situation could create lasting mistrust between banks and public contracting entities, undermining future commitments to finance major projects.”

The bank further argued that “the use of enforcement measures outside legal channels, or in disregard of court decisions, would weaken confidence in how state guarantees are managed, with consequences for the banking sector’s ability to support public projects.”

Behind the initiative was a clear objective: to de-escalate a dispute that had become sensitive due to both the sums involved and its implications for relations between banks and public institutions.

A draft agreement that stalled

Less than a month later, on August 7, 2025, a meeting was held at the national headquarters of the BEAC in Yaoundé. At the end of the session, a mediation agreement was signed by Afriland’s deputy CEO, Youssouf Bouba, and the CNEF secretary-general.

But the process stalled. The agreement was never finalized, as it lacked the signature of CDEC Director General Rivard Evina Obam, effectively blocking the mediation.

The draft deal included a partial payment of CFA900 million and the creation of a working group, under the Ministry of Finance, to define how provisions linked to the guarantees would be handled before CDEC’s intervention.

The legal barrier

To explain his refusal to endorse the agreement, Rivard Evina Obam wrote on September 10, 2025, to the CNEF secretary-general, noting that “legal proceedings initiated by Afriland First Bank against CDEC have led to a contentious phase.”

By that point, the dispute had already moved into the courts.

Afriland First Bank had filed an urgent application before the president of the Yaoundé Administrative Center Court of First Instance, naming Orange Money Cameroon and BGFIBank, with SCB Cameroon brought in as a third party. The bank sought to suspend the effects of the third-party seizure order (ATD) issued by CDEC as part of its recovery process.

However, following the December 3, 2025 hearing, the judge ruled, under Order No. 887/D/HH, that the court lacked jurisdiction to halt the ATDs. Despite this, Afriland First Bank continued the legal fight by filing a motion to challenge the enforcement of that decision.

Why CDEC considers mediation ineffective

The shift to litigation had a direct impact on the mediation process. According to CDEC, once legal proceedings are underway, the matter enters a formal dispute phase governed by Article 71 of Law No. 2023/011 of July 25, 2023, on the recovery of public debts.

In such cases, mediation can only occur within a judicial framework—either at the request of the parties or at the invitation of the competent court. In other words, any mediation conducted outside that framework loses its legal effect. This is the basis of CDEC’s position.

The institution argues that Afriland First Bank’s decision to pursue court action effectively rendered any out-of-court settlement attempt void.

A red line: full recovery of the debt

In the same letter, the CDEC chief also raised substantive objections to the draft agreement, going beyond procedural concerns.

“The proposed mediation agreement provides for a transfer of CFA900 million against a claim of CFA4.296 billion and puts an end to all actions by CDEC related to contract No. 131/M/MINTP/CSPM-PFC/CCM-TR/2022, from which this claim arises. It is essential to note that this measure violates Article 5 of the aforementioned law, which states that debts owed to public entities benefiting from Treasury privilege are sovereign state claims, imprescriptible and inalienable, except by decision of the President of the Republic,” he wrote.

For CDEC, it is therefore not legally acceptable for a partial payment of CFA900 million to settle a dispute involving CFA4.296 billion, nor to abandon recovery actions without full repayment, given the sovereign nature of the claim.

Criminal liability raised

Rivard Evina Obam went further, stating that “unlike other parties (…), Afriland First Bank continues to hold these funds, which are treated as public funds under current regulations, thereby engaging the criminal liability of the bank and its executives under the offenses provided for in Article 184 of the Penal Code.”

This position significantly raises the stakes. Beyond a civil or administrative dispute, CDEC is introducing a criminal dimension by classifying the funds as public money.

Despite this firm stance, the CDEC director general said he remained open to a settlement, provided it strictly complies with the law. “I remain willing to consider any solution consistent with applicable legislation,” he wrote.

According to the letter, this would require Afriland First Bank to withdraw all ongoing legal proceedings, while the full CFA4.296 billion would need to be repaid, with the option of a payment schedule starting with an immediate CFA900 million installment. The remaining balance would have to be settled no later than December 31, 2025.

In other words, a resolution remained theoretically possible, but under one non-negotiable condition for CDEC: full repayment and the end of all litigation.

BGFIBank and Orange Money targeted as third-party holders

On February 26, 2026, CDEC issued two payment orders to BGFIBank Cameroon and Orange Money Cameroon. According to documents reviewed by Business in Cameroon, the institution is seeking a total of CFA3.68 billion, including CFA3.58 billion in principal and CFA101 million in late payment interest.

CDEC gave the institutions eight days to comply. Failing that, it reserved the right to seize bank accounts, securities, movable assets, and other property.

However, the amounts in question correspond to funds belonging to Afriland First Bank. They are distributed across accounts held with BGFIBank and Orange Money, meaning each entity is not being asked to pay CFA3.68 billion separately.

These institutions are targeted as third-party holders of Afriland’s funds, not as original debtors in the contract.

According to CDEC, failure to comply with the payment orders could expose them to joint liability, on the grounds that they held funds linked to Afriland and the guarantees tied to the disputed contract without releasing them.

Beyond the standoff

As more details emerge, the failed mediation appears less like a procedural setback and more like a reflection of deeper disagreements over the nature of the funds involved. It also raises questions about how much room a bank has to negotiate when a claim is treated as sovereign.

Based on the available evidence, Afriland First Bank’s strategy appears to have reached its limits. The bank sought to ease pressure from recovery actions while simultaneously pursuing litigation, undermining the basis for de-escalation.

What began as a dispute tied to a strategic road project has now moved beyond a simple standoff between a bank and a public institution. It highlights a rarely documented tension point at the intersection of public project financing, guarantee mechanisms, Treasury privilege, and legal certainty in the banking sector.

The Babajou-Bamenda case could set an important precedent—not only in court, but in how such disputes are handled going forward. It also raises a broader question for future state projects: how far can a bank negotiate when disputed funds are no longer treated as financial obligations, but as public money?

Source: Business in Cameroon

25, March 2026

Taiwan pulls out of Yaoundé WTO Summit after visa dispute over China ⁰

Cameroon is set to host the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, but the summit has been overshadowed by a diplomatic row with Taiwan.

For the first time in 25 years, Taiwan has withdrawn after Cameroonian visas labelled its officials as “Taiwan, Province of China” and contained multiple errors.

Taipei condemned the move as political interference and lodged a formal protest with the WTO. Cameroon defended the designation as part of its foreign policy.

Analysts say the dispute reflects China’s growing influence in Africa, raising concerns over whether global institutions can ensure equal treatment for all members.

Source: First Post

20, March 2026

Smarter Water Use Could Feed 10 Billion and Create Nearly 250 Million Jobs ⁰

Rebalancing water use across the global food system is key to meeting future food demand sustainably and could generate 245 million long-term jobs, largely in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to a new World Bank Group report launched today.

The report – Nourish and Flourish: Water Solutions to Feed 10 Billion People on a Livable Planet – notes that current agricultural water management practices, marked by overuse in some countries and underuse in others, can only sustainably support food production for less than half the global population. By 2050, 10 billion people will need to be fed. Addressing both the overuse that depletes water in stressed regions and the underuse that leaves available water and productive capacity untapped in water-abundant regions will be essential to meet that demand sustainably.

It introduces a new framework for agricultural water management that links water availability with food production and trade. By categorizing countries based on water stress and their food import or export status, the framework helps identify where expanding rainfed agriculture can increase food production, where irrigation investments can unlock jobs and growth, where water use must be rebalanced to protect ecosystems and future productivity, and where trade offers a more sustainable path than local production.

“The way we manage water for food will have profound implications for jobs, livelihoods, and economic growth. By making smarter choices about where crops are grown, how water is allocated, and how trade supports food security, we can strengthen resilience, expand opportunity, and safeguard the resources which we all rely on,” said Paschal Donohoe, Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer of the World Bank Group.

Realizing these outcomes will require stronger private sector participation and financing alongside public investment, supported by effective policies, institutions, and regulations to boost food production, create jobs, and support sustainable growth. Public funding alone cannot deliver the sustained services, innovation, and scale needed to expand irrigation, improve performance, and maintain results. Farmers, who are the primary users of irrigation and its main investors, are already willing to co-invest when access to finance, quality equipment, markets, and digital tools reduces the risks and transaction costs they face.

“When investments in infrastructure and natural resources, business-enabling policies, and private capital mobilization come together, the impact can be greater than the sum of its parts,” said Guangzhe Chen, Vice President for Planet at the World Bank Group. “By linking global evidence with country realities, this framework can help policymakers navigate trade-offs and adapt food production to today’s water and climate realities—delivering food, jobs, and resilience together.”

Expanding irrigation where water is available, alongside modernizing existing systems, is estimated to require an additional $24–70 billion per year through 2050. Governments already spend roughly $490 billion annually on agricultural support, most of it on subsidies. Redirecting a portion of current spending—combined with regulatory reform, use of blended finance, and public-private partnerships—will crowd in private capital, including co-investment by farmers themselves, and support financially sustainable water and food security.

The World Bank Group works alongside countries, companies, partners and people to translate these insights into action by combining policy reform, public investment, and private capital to strengthen food systems, create jobs, and protect natural resources. It has committed to doubling annual agribusiness financing to $9 billion by 2030 and mobilizing an additional $5 billion per year under the AgriConnect initiative to help smallholders move from subsistence to surplus. Through the Water for Food and Water for the Planet pillars of its Water Strategy Implementation Plan, the World Bank Group addresses the twin challenge of water and food security by strengthening food production systems and improving farmer livelihoods.

Reported by the World Bank Group

18, March 2026

Yaoundé: Customs launches mobile device duty system to recover lost revenue ⁰

Cameroon’s Directorate General of Customs (DGC) has activated a new electronic mechanism for collecting import duties on mobile phones, tablets and other mobile devices, effective 16 March 2026, after customs revenue from these goods collapsed from 12 billion CFA francs to about 100 million CFA francs over a relatively short period.

The system was launched during a briefing in Yaoundé presided over by Director General Fongod Edwin Nuvaga, bringing together major importers of mobile devices to present the new collection architecture ahead of its go-live date.

According to Customs, the reform is based on Article 7 of the 2019 Finance Law, which established an electronic mechanism for collecting duties on imported mobile terminals. A first implementation attempt in 2020 met with resistance and was shelved, before the mechanism was reintroduced following a successful test phase.

Importers liable, mobile money payments

Under the new framework, the legal taxpayer is the importer, not the consumer. Payments will be made via Mobile Money, Orange Money and other secure digital payment platforms, replacing the previous system based on communication credit.

Mobile operators will no longer collect and remit customs duties. Their role is now limited to blocking and unblocking devices within the new system.

Paul Olivier Libii, senior inspector at the DGC’s Division of Legislation and Disputes, detailed the system’s technical architecture, which connects three platforms: Camcis, the customs management system; a partner platform dedicated to device information management; and mobile operators’ operating systems.

“From the moment of importation, upload to the manifest all IMEI numbers of the devices you are importing; the manifest is then transferred electronically to Camcis. Once in the country, you validate a customs declaration, which will be automatically retrieved by the platform, which then analyses the IMEI numbers you uploaded,” Libii said.

Amnesty for active devices, regularisation for stock

Devices that had connected at least once to the networks of MTN, CAMTEL or Orange before 16 March 2026 are exempt from the new mechanism and benefit from fiscal amnesty.

However, devices in stock that had not connected to any network by that date must be regularised with the nearest customs office. Importers have two months to submit IMEI files for these devices, along with documents confirming regular customs clearance.

The framework for handling pending cases was outlined by Marcelin Djeuwo, Head of the DGC’s IT Division, during the briefing.

Libii described the system as a tool to enhance transparency, ensure fiscal compliance, reduce risks related to money laundering and terrorist financing, and protect the economy against fraud and contraband. The reform is also expected to modernise customs administration and sanitise the mobile device market.

Eight categories of mobile phones have been identified under the new framework, with the DGC indicating it remains open to additional proposals. Major importers present at the briefing expressed support for the reform, while Customs noted that the system’s success will depend on the buy-in of all stakeholders and targeted actors.

Source: Business in Cameroon

14, March 2026

Biya regime plans CFA40 billion capital increases for state SME Bank ⁰

Cameroon’s Small and Medium Enterprises Bank (BC-PME) may soon receive a significant boost to its equity. Meeting in a multi-year and mixed general assembly on February 26, 2026 in Yaoundé, the institution approved a CFA40 billion capital increase, pending authorization from the Central African Banking Commission (Cobac).

If the operation receives the regulator’s approval, the public bank’s share capital will rise from CFA20 billion to CFA60 billion. The increase will be carried out through the issuance of four million new shares with a nominal value of CFA10,000 each, fully subscribed by the Cameroonian state, which remains the bank’s sole shareholder.

Funds from the import-substitution program

The resources for the recapitalization will come from the Integrated Agropastoral and Fisheries Import Substitution Plan, a public program designed to strengthen domestic production in agriculture, livestock, and fisheries. The funds transferred to BC-PME are intended to finance private economic operators active in these sectors.

The operation also comes as banks in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) adjust to new Cobac regulations requiring a minimum share capital of CFA25 billion for credit institutions in the region. Several banks have already moved to comply with the rule, including Afriland First Bank, which increased its capital to CFA50 billion, BICEC with CFA49 billion, CCA-Bank with CFA29.4 billion, and BGFIBank Cameroon, which also raised its capital to CFA50 billion.

A struggling bank despite its SME mandate

The recapitalization takes place in a challenging context for BC-PME. Launched in 2015 to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises, the public bank has struggled for several years to achieve financial stability.

According to the 2024 Statistical Yearbook on SMEs, the Social Economy, and Crafts, the bank granted only CFA1.95 billion in loans to 85 project promoters, a modest level considering its mandate to support the entrepreneurial sector.

Recent performance figures confirm these difficulties. In 2023, the bank recorded a deficit of CFA1.112 billion. In this context, the injection of new public funds appears aimed at restoring financial flexibility and strengthening the institution’s capacity to finance SMEs, which remain at the core of its mission.

Governance turbulence and strategic repositioning

The bank’s financial difficulties have also been accompanied by management turbulence. In October 2023, the board of directors appointed Amadou Haman, previously deputy managing director, as acting chief executive.

The decision followed sanctions imposed by Cobac against the former chief executive, Agnès Ndoumbe Mandeng. After a disciplinary procedure opened in 2023, the regulator withdrew her banking license and imposed a ten-year ban from working in credit institutions across the CEMAC region.

Beyond the recapitalization, the February 26, 2026 general assembly also approved the bank’s strategic development plan for 2025–2030. The plan outlines a repositioning around its core mandate of financing SMEs, with a particular focus on projects linked to the government’s import-substitution program.

Source: Business in Cameroon