2025 SBEC Annual Report: From Barriers To Breadthroughs: Women Entrepreneurs Powering Cameroon’s Green Economy Transition

Authors:
Small Business and Entrepreneurship Center, Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation

Published:
March 04, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64116/Report.2026.WomenGreenEcoCM

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Executive Summary

“We are the guardians of the Earth, not its owners,” Marlee Matlin reminds us.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the transition to a green economy is seen as a process of transforming the system of production, distribution, and consumption of wealth towards a model of sustainable development improving energy and resource efficiency, reducing carbon emissions and pollution, protecting biodiversity and ecosystems to improve human well-being and social inclusion, limit environmental risks, and preserve natural heritage. According to UN Women, women and girls in Africa play a vital role in addressing climate change through their contributions to agriculture, natural resource management, and ecosystem conservation. Female entrepreneurship is one of their preferred tools for contributing to the transition to the green economy on the continent in general and in Cameroon in particular, considering that they represent more than 50% of the population of the African continent according to UN Women and 50.4% in Cameroon according to BUCREP 2010.

An increasing number of women are pursuing entrepreneurship, overcoming several challenges that may result in failure. Access to credit is one of their main obstacles. Globally, there is a 1.7 trillion dollar financing gap for female entrepreneurs. Among other challenges, women-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises MSMEs encounter discriminatory laws, regulations and societal norms, a lack of networks, and restricted access to markets, information, education and skills training. One of the biggest issues affecting female entrepreneurs worldwide and in Africa specifically is access to capital. Lack of collateral and credit history, gender biases and stereotypes in financial institutions, and cultural norms that disproportionately assign women to unpaid household duties are the main explanations for this issue. Limited professional networks, low financial knowledge, regional legislative constraints, and widespread exclusion from conventional banking systems because of a lack of identification and device access are further challenges. In addition to financial access, women entrepreneurs in Cameroon face additional obstacles because the majority of them work in the unorganised sector, primarily as a result of the country’s strict tax laws for business owners.

In order for women entrepreneurship to fully contribute to Cameroon’s shift to a green economy, a number of actions need to be taken such as implementing technologies, bridging the digital divide, offering customised green financing, and creating a supportive policy environment.

Keywords: Transition to a green economy, women-led MSMEs, financing gap for female entrepreneurs.