Gov’t, OHADA recommit to stronger legal protection for entrepreneurs, SMEs.

The commitment was reaffirmed during discussions between the Minister of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts, Achille Bassilekin III, and OHADA Permanent Secretary, Prof Mayatta Ndiaye Mbaye. 

The discussions took place on October 15, 2026, at OHADA's headquarters in Yaounde, during celebrations marking the organisation's 33rd anniversary.

According to a statement published by OHADA on October 20, both officials emphasised the need for coordinated action to ensure the effective implementation of the legal status of entrepreneurs in Cameroon. 

The organisation said the initiative seeks to encourage operators in the informal economy to formalise their activities while improving the legal environment for entrepreneurship.

The ministry, in a separate communication, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the initiative as part of efforts to promote entrepreneurship and facilitate the integration of informal businesses into the formal economy. 

In the statement, Minister Bassilekin III stressed the importance of promoting the status to strengthen legal certainty for economic operators, recognise their contribution to wealth creation and improve conditions for business development.

On his part, Professor Mbaye, noted OHADA's contribution to strengthening business regulations and supporting economic development across its member states.

“OHADA has worked continuously to improve the business climate in Africa. It has contributed to structuring African economies through business formalisation, facilitating business financing and securing investments. All this has been aimed at supporting states in their economic development efforts,” he said.

The entrepreneur status is already provided for under OHADA's Uniform Act on General Commercial Law. The framework allows individual entrepreneurs engaged in civil, commercial, artisanal or agricultural activities to operate under a simplified legal regime through a declaration of their activities.

It was established to facilitate the transition of economic operators from informal to formal business activities. According to OHADA, the framework is also intended to make business law more accessible to small enterprises and operators in the social and solidarity economy.

The organisation said coordinated action between its institutions and Cameroonian authorities would support efforts to promote the status and ensure its effective application.

OHADA's role in business development

Established in 1993, OHADA brings together 17 African countries under a common framework designed to harmonise business laws, strengthen legal and judicial security for investors and businesses, and facilitate economic integration. 

The organisation operates through five principal institutions, including its Permanent Secretariat, Council of Ministers and Common Court of Justice and Arbitration.

Its legal framework covers several areas of business activity, including commercial law, company formation, secured transactions, insolvency proceedings and commercial dispute resolution. 

During the anniversary celebrations, Bassilekin III acknowledged OHADA's contribution to securing economic activities and strengthening legal integration across Africa.

OHADA said the initiative to operationalise entrepreneur status in Cameroon forms part of efforts to create a more accessible and inclusive legal environment for business development.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3948 of Friday October 23, 2026