Investment Incentives Drive: Chamber of Commerce, API sensitise economic operators on new reforms.

This was the focus of a sensitisation workshop organised by CCIMA in Douala. It was organised May 26. It brought together economic operators, investors, SMEs and representatives of key public administrations.

The meeting sought to familiarise participants with the provisions of Ordinance No. 2025/002 on investment incentives and the opportunities available to businesses seeking to invest or expand operations in Cameroon.

Opening the workshop, officials stressed that despite progress recorded in recent years, stating that Cameroon, still faces challenges in attracting the level of investment required to sustain strong and inclusive economic growth.

They noted that increasing productive investments remains essential for job creation, industrialisation and value addition.

According to speakers, government has progressively strengthened the legal framework governing investments, beginning with the 2013 law on investment incentives and culminating in the 2025 ordinance designed to address shortcomings identified during the implementation of earlier reforms.

The workshop highlighted procedures for accessing investment incentive schemes, opportunities available to investors and SMEs, as well as innovations introduced by the new ordinance.

Nearly FCFA 1,900 billion investments mobilised

Presenting the evolution of Cameroon’s investment incentive framework, officials from API disclosed that between 2014 and 2024, some 453 investment projects were approved under the 2013 law.

The projects generated investments estimated at approximately FCFA 1,900 billion, including FCFA 1,250 billion in foreign direct investments and FCFA 650 billion in domestic investments.

The approved projects were concentrated in sectors such as manufacturing, infrastructure, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, leather processing, energy and hydrocarbons.

Speakers noted that the implementation of the 2013 law significantly contributed to investment promotion and job creation nationwide. 

However, an assessment of the law also revealed several weaknesses, including the uneven distribution of fiscal and customs incentives and administrative bottlenecks in the processing of investment files.

The challenges, they said, informed the adoption of Ordinance No. 2025/002, which seeks to improve efficiency, reduce fiscal waste and better align investment incentives with the objectives of the National Development Strategy 2020-2030, SND30.

New ordinance targets industrialisation

The Head of the Littoral Branch of the Investment Promotion Agency, Peggy Lako Mbarga, explained that the new ordinance is designed to support import substitution, local industrialisation and greater competitiveness of Cameroonian enterprises.

She stated that one of the major innovations is the streamlining of administrative procedures through a one-stop investment processing mechanism at API, aimed at facilitating access to incentives and reducing delays.

"The Ordinance of 2025 comes essentially to correct the weaknesses of the 2013 law. The ambition is to reduce tax waste and align advantages granted to companies with the objectives of SND30, particularly import substitution and local industrialisation," she said.

Mbarga also highlighted strengthened monitoring and control mechanisms, as well as special provisions targeting youth entrepreneurship and SME development.

She encouraged economic operators to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the ordinance and to work closely with institutions such as API and CCIMA.

"Perhaps the challenge is not a deficit in the law itself, but insufficient information and appropriation of the available mechanisms. Operators must come closer to the institutions that are there to support them," she added.

Easing business operations

Another major innovation presented during the workshop is the introduction of a provisional operating authorisation aimed at facilitating the transition from project installation to full-scale production.

Officials explained that under the previous system, many investors experienced lengthy delays before receiving final approvals required to begin operations.

The new mechanism allows enterprises to commence testing, calibration and initial production activities while remaining within a legal framework and continuing administrative procedures.

According to API experts, the reform will reduce administrative downtime, enable investors to test their business models under real market conditions and ensure early access to fiscal and customs advantages.

The ordinance also introduces a tax credit mechanism whereby companies benefit from tax reductions based on actual investments effectively realised, rather than on projected investment commitments.

Officials say the measure will ensure that incentives are linked to concrete investments and tangible economic outcomes.

Calls for greater awareness

For his part, Michel Ngankam, Technical Adviser at CCIMA, emphasised the need for greater awareness among SMEs and project promoters regarding the numerous support mechanisms established by the state.

"The state has put in place several instruments to promote SMEs from their creation through growth and development. The challenge is ensuring that the target beneficiaries are sufficiently informed so that they can fully benefit from these opportunities," he said.

Ngankam noted that companies obtaining approval under the investment incentive framework benefit from a range of fiscal, customs, financial and administrative advantages capable of improving their competitiveness and easing financial pressures.

He added that the reforms introduced under the 2025 ordinance seek not only to improve access to incentives but also to strengthen monitoring and ensure that beneficiaries effectively contribute to national development objectives.

Participants at the workshop were urged to engage actively with institutions supporting investment promotion and to leverage available incentives to expand their businesses, create jobs and contribute to Cameroon's industrial transformation agenda.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3807 of Thursday June 04, 2026