(Business in Cameroon) – The Investment Promotion Agency, IPA has opened access to its investment incentive programme for public enterprises, expanding a framework that has reportedly generated 7,500 billion FCFA in commitments and 170,000 projected jobs over the past 12 years.
The Acting Director General of IPA, Donatus Boma, on October 16, 2025, signed a Directive that specifies the documents and procedures required for accreditation under the new investment regime. The Directive, which was made public recently is in conformity to a July 18, 2025 Ordinance that extends investment incentives under the 2013 law on private investment incentives to public enterprises.
According to the directive, any investor; private or public, seeking these incentives must submit five physical copies and one digital copy of their application file. This file must include a stamped application letter addressed to the IPA Director General, along with a certificate of company registration in the Trade and Personal Property Credit Register.
For extension projects, the Directive notes that additional documents such as a tax compliance certificate, a CNPS certificate, and a location plan are required. Each application must also contain a comprehensive feasibility study, including a market study, a technical assessment specifying total investment costs, a production process outline, a recruitment plan prioritising Cameroonian national, and a project implementation timeline.
The Directive also provides that an economic and financial study must also be provided, detailing the financing plan, supported by an environmental and social impact assessment. Investors are further required to submit a written commitment to comply with regulations on anti-money laundering and terrorism financing.
One of the major innovations introduced by the July 18, 2025 ordinance is the reduction in processing time for investment approval. The IPA now has 10 days to review and decide on an application, compared to up to three months under the 2013 investment law.
The new framework also broadens the range of eligible sectors, aligning with Cameroon’s National Development Strategy 2030 (NDS30). Incentives are now open to investors in agriculture, livestock, fisheries, trade and distribution, digital data processing, artificial intelligence, and the automotive industry.
Mercy Fosoh
