(Business in Cameroon) – The seventh “Made in Cameroon Weekends” fair, originally planned for Oct. 30-Nov. 2, 2025, has been postponed to Nov. 27-30, organizers announced. The event will take place outside the Douala Grand Mall, near the international airport in Cameroon’s economic capital.
Jean Pierre Mbanga, president of the Legends Association and co-organizer, said exhibitors requested the postponement due to post-election tensions and security concerns in Douala. “Some gas stations and businesses were looted and set on fire after President Paul Biya was declared the winner on Oct. 27,” he said.
Held under the theme “Boosting Local Entrepreneurship: Made in Cameroon at the Heart of the Import-Substitution Policy,” the event is expected to attract around 5,000 visitors and 50 exhibitors. Organizers said attendance will likely be lower than in previous years because of security concerns and limited space at the Grand Mall.
Over four days, the fair will feature sales and exhibitions of fashion, food, cosmetics, and handicrafts, along with conferences, entertainment, and tastings. Exhibitors will showcase their products to visitors, supermarket buyers, officials from ANOR and Minpmeesa, and professionals from the hospitality sector.
Launched in 2021, the initiative aims to promote local craftsmanship and encourage domestic consumption, in line with the government’s import-substitution policy. The annual event has become one of the country’s main platforms for promoting “Made in Cameroon” products.
The initiative comes as local products are gaining ground in retail chains. The Carrefour chain, for example, now sells tens of thousands of Cameroonian products across its eight supermarkets. In 2023, Cfao Retail Cameroon CFO Guillaume Tanne said local products made up 40% of company revenue, compared with 30–35% a few years earlier.
Despite this progress, challenges remain around quality standards and packaging. “We’re organizing expert-led conferences to help small businesses and artisans understand the challenges of standardization,” the organizers said.
Frédéric Nonos
