At meeting in Yaounde: IPA pledges incentives to visiting Brazilian agri-investors.

The visit followed a government-organised economic forum on import substitution with Latin American countries, convened by the IPA and the Ministry of External Relations.

Speaking during the meeting, IPA boss told the Brazilian delegation that the agency serves as the mandatory first port of call for all foreign direct investment entering Cameroon, with the capacity to orientate, facilitate, and accompany investors throughout the entire process.

He outlined a legislative framework designed specifically to attract investors into strategic sectors, offering a convention signed with the IPA that unlocks ten years of incentives spanning both the establishment phase and the operational phase of a business.

“…during this time, your tax rates will be reduced and what you are bringing in will be free from customs duties during the establishment phase,” Boma said.

The General Manager confirmed that livestock and grain are classified as strategic sectors under Cameroon's investment code. 

He strongly advised investors to finalise their registration with the IPA before approaching the tax authorities, warning against the risk of incurring unnecessary costs by acting out of sequence.

Boma also confirmed that foreign investors may own their businesses in their entirety, with no obligation to bring in a Cameroonian partner, though the IPA can equally facilitate joint ventures with local partners should investors prefer that route. 

The General Manager painted a compelling picture of Cameroon's agricultural landscape, describing a country with 9.6 million hectares of arable land, of which only 1.6 million are currently in use.

Boma explained that a government programme has demarcated large tracts of land exclusively for agricultural development, and listed rice, fish, and maize among the many basic commodities that Cameroon still imports and could produce domestically.

“Agriculture is one of the backbones of our economy, not only in growing crops but in transforming coffee, cocoa, and all these products which you have in abundance in Cameroon,” Boma stated.

He further pointed to the continent-wide opportunity available to investors who set up operations in Cameroon, noting that the country sits at the heart of a Central African subregion with a combined population of around 350 million people, with Nigeria adding a further 250 million consumers just across 1,500 kilometres of shared border.

“There is a lot of potential here in Cameroon. We are the breadbasket for the whole Central African region. All I can say is: let's get to work and see things happen,” Boma underscored.

For investors in the aquaculture space, the General Manager flagged the potential for floating fish cage operations on the Wouri River, another sector where Cameroon currently relies heavily on imports. 

He suggested a practical tool for identifying investment gaps: requesting a printout of all customs imports from the Cameroon Customs Department as a ready-made guide to where domestic production capacity is lacking.

Boma urged the investors not to proceed with any project steps, including the identification of Cameroonian partners, without first consulting the agency, noting that the IPA is positioned to vet potential partners and connect investors with those already active in the fish sector and other productive chains.

Ahead of the Cameroon Investment Forum scheduled for November, the IPA encouraged the delegation to submit their paperwork early, with a view to visiting available land and advancing concrete discussions during that visit.

Investors express gratitude

The Brazilian delegation was led by Daniella Prudente Vitorino, General Director of Santa Maria, who said this was her third trip to Cameroon and that each visit had moved projects closer to reality. 

Vitorino confirmed that she is set to formally open a Brazilian subsidiary in Ngaoundere on April 30, the result of a market study begun during her first visit in 2023. She paid tribute to the IPA's hands-on support, which she said has extended to meeting her at the airport and accompanying her throughout all formalities on each of her three visits.

“I see Cameroon as my home. In Brazil, there are four companies waiting for my report before they decide to come,” Vitorino said.

The visit was also welcomed by the Minister Counsellor at the Embassy of Cameroon in Brazil, Dr Paulin Martial Tchenzette, who told reporters that the delegation's attendance at the IPA was partly a feedback visit following the import-substitution forum, and that the results of that forum demonstrated tangible progress.

“We had quite concrete results that demonstrate sufficiently that import substitution is not merely wishful thinking; it is a mechanism that is effectively under way,” Dr Tchenzette said.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3773 of Monday April 27, 2026