SBEC Stakeholder Meeting

Date: Friday, May 24, 2024Time: 10:00 am (Cameroon time)
Venue: Mansel Hotel, Yaoundé
Upon invitation only
Background 
In defining its new National Development Strategy 2020–2030 (SND30), the Cameroonian government has set itself the goal of achieving a 25% share of manufacturing production in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2035. To accomplish this, the government plans to call on the private sector, both national and international, to finance some interventions. As an accompanying measure, public authorities intend to pursue the development of a cutting-edge digital ecosystem and facilitate its access to as many entrepreneurs possible. In 2009, Cameroon’s National Institute of Statistics estimated the penetration rate of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at less than 50%. Several incentives have therefore been introduced over the years, including a five-year exemption from all taxes, duties, fees, and levies, with the exception of social security contributions, for innovative start-ups in the field of Information and Communication Technologies during the incubation phase (Finance Act, 2021). Other important tax exemptions for innovative start-ups and SMEs have also been registered after the incubation phase or when the company is in its operational phase. However, according to the ICT?Development Index 2023 published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Cameroon, currently ranked sixth, has dropped four places since the last ranking in 2017, reflecting the slow progress in ICT development compared to several countries in the Central African region. On the ten indicators of ICT development—which include the percentage of people using the Internet, mobile broadband penetration, mobile broadband Internet traffic (measured in gigabytes per subscription), the cost of mobile data and voice services, as well as cell phone ownership rates—Cameroon has not advanced as much as other countries, remaining below average. With an overall score of 36.8 out of 100, Cameroon is behind Gabon, which remains in first place (72.9 points), Sao Tome and Principe (54.5 points), Angola (44.1 points), Rwanda (40.1 points), and Equatorial Guinea (37.6 points). It is within this context that the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Center (SBEC) of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation is organizing a stakeholder meeting to analyze the reasons for Cameroon’s poor ICT performance in recent years, and the impact of positive changes on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Objectives
The objective of this stakeholder meeting is to analyze and assess the contribution of ICT development to business performance in Cameroon. Specifically, this event aims to:

Analyze and assess the progress made by Cameroon in the field of ICT since 2010,
Understand the factors hindering SME access to digital technology in Cameroon, and the opportunities for ICT sector development for SMEs,
Discuss ways to improve SME access to ICT in order to strengthen the development of the manufacturing sector in Cameroon,
Gather stakeholder input for policy or strategy change in the ICT sector in Cameroon. 

Target audience

Representative from MINPOSTEL
Representative from the National Agency for ICT (ANTIC)
Representative from the Cameroon Telecommunications Regulatory Board (ART)
Entrepreneurs and start-ups
Academicians from the ICT sector
Experts from financial institutions
Business Incubators
Media

Expected outcome of the event
Increased awareness among all stakeholders of the importance of ICTs in the development of SMEs and the evolution of Cameroon’s manufacturing sector. 
About the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Center
The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Center (SBEC) aims to support SMEs in Cameroon and to promote business-friendly policies that stimulate innovation and job creation. Through the SBEC Network, SME members receive training and administrative support to increase their productivity and efficiency.
Contact
Email: [email protected] / Tel: (+237) 654 86 72 54