Survival Strategies in a Turbulent Business Environment: The Case of Sole Proprietorship Company (SPC) in the Northwest and Southwest (NWSW) regions of Cameroon GallerySurvival Strategies in a Turbulent Business Environment: The Case of Sole Proprietorship Company (SPC) in the Northwest and Southwest (NWSW) regions of Cameroon
Survival Strategies in a Turbulent Business Environment: The Case of Sole Proprietorship Company (SPC) in the Northwest and Southwest (NWSW) regions of Cameroon
By Merlin Mfondo, Ph.D. (Download Pdf) INTRODUCTION Each changing decade in the business world brings with it a changing paradigm and a new way of acting to adapt to this changing paradigm. As such, businesses face downturns and upturns in respective phases of their life cycle. Root (2017) explains that getting a business to survive a downturn requires planning and rigorous execution of the plan when gloomy days show up. According to Suikki et al., (2006), new competencies are required to cope in any business characterized by uncertainty and inability to predict the future. For Calantone et al., (2003) [...]
Enhancing SME development in Cameroon: Evaluating Government support program
By Desmond Kum (Download PDF) INTRODUCTION Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the Cameroonian economy, accounting for over 90 percent of all businesses and over 70 percent of the employment force. However, SMEs in Cameroon face several challenges, including access to finance, markets, and skills training. These challenges hinder growth and the ability to contribute to economic development. According to the World Bank 2022 report on the state of SMEs in Cameroon and a Dalberg report of 2011 on the impact of government support programs on SMEs in Cameroon, the government of Cameroon has many support programs put in [...]
“Our Monique” Documentary Release: Shining a Light on Maternal Healthcare in Cameroon
The premiere of the Nkafu Policy Institute’s documentary, "Our Monique", marked a significant milestone in our journey to advocate for improved maternal healthcare in Cameroon. Hosted on March 26 2024, at the Muna Foundation in Yaounde, this event brought together a diverse audience of stakeholders, including media, healthcare professionals, researchers, and concerned citizens, all united in their commitment to addressing the critical issues surrounding maternal mortality in Cameroon. The premiere commenced with the screening of the fifteen-minute documentary, "Our Monique," which vividly portrayed the tragic story of Monique Koumatekel and her twin unborn babies. The audience was deeply moved [...]
Empowering Central African Think Tank Leaders through the Leadership and Advocacy Immersion Program
From March 21-22, 2024, the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation hosted the "Two Day In-Person Leadership and Advocacy Immersion Program" at the United Hotel Mbankomo in Yaounde, Cameroon. The event brought together think tank leaders, experts, and key stakeholders from across the Central African region. The program aimed to strengthen independent think tanks in Central Africa by equipping them with practical leadership, management, and advocacy skills to drive effective impact. Over the course of two immersive days, participants engaged in a series of keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities. Kicking off with a welcome reception on March [...]
Unifying Regional Economic Communities: Are we on track in Central Africa?
On March 5 2024, the weighty issue of rationalizing Central Africa's overlapping regional economic communities took center stage at a high-level webinar hosted by the Nkafu Policy Institute. Dr. Jacob Kotcho, Director of the ECCAS Common Market, was the featured guest. He pulled no punches in his assessment of the moribund rationalization process agreed to by heads of state back in 2009. Lack of consensus on the methodology – whether to fold CEMAC and the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) into ECCAS or dissolve all existing bodies to create an entirely new community – has led [...]
Empowering Advocates for Global Surgery: 2024 Global Surgery Advocacy Fellowship
The 2024 Global Surgery Advocacy Fellowship (GSAF) kicks off on February 19, 2024 in Rwanda. This collaborative initiative between the Nkafu Policy Institute (Cameroon), Operation Smile (USA), and the University of Global Health Equity (Rwanda) is empowering emerging leaders from low- and middle-income countries to advocate for vital surgical and anesthesia care globally. Among this year's distinguished fellows is Regina Sinsai, a dedicated public health researcher affiliated with the Nkafu Policy Institute. Regina's profound commitment to healthcare financing for surgical patients, exemplified by her groundbreaking research on mitigating catastrophic expenditures associated with cesarean sections in Cameroon, epitomizes the ethos of the GSAF program. Her [...]
Call For Papers on Monetary Policy in Francophone Africa
Abstract Submission Deadline : March 15, 2024 Notification of Acceptance : March 30, 2024 Invited Paper Submission Deadline : April 30, 2024 Allocated Budget Per Submission: Academic papers: USD 1,000 Case studies: USD 2,000 Research reports: USD 3,000 APPLY HERE I. Background The CFA franc currency is mostly unknown in the non-French-speaking world. Until the 1980s, the idea of questioning the status of the French-backed CFA franc seemed like heresy. Since then, political leaders, prominent academics, businesses, and activists from around the world have joined their voices to recognize that the CFA system is a barrier to the development [...]
Cameroon: Regional Economic Communities Crucial in Accelerating AfCFTA Implementation
With the potential to create the world’s largest free trade area, AfCFTA represents a unique opportunity for African nations to boost their economies and improve the livelihood of their citizens YAOUNDE, January 25, 2024 – The African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, promises to be a game changer for Cameroon, with its single market of over 1.3 billion people and an estimated GDP of $2.6 trillion. Given the goals set by the government in its new National Development Strategy 2020-2030 (NDS30), there is a need to put in place a solid mechanism to ensure that the application of AfCFTA [...]
Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation | Catalyzing Africa's Economic Transformation 
