The Ministry of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts (MINPMEESA) Northwest Regional Delegation has partnered with UN Women to launch a new entrepreneurship initiative targeting 150 women living along the Ring Road in the Northwest Region. The programme was operationalised during a technical consultative working session held on 24 February 2026 in Bamenda.
The initiative activates two pillars of MINPMEESA’s roadmap Programme 043 on the inculcation of the spirit of entrepreneurship and Programme 044 on the transformation and modernisation of production units. It covers all six Divisions of the Northwest Region and combines business training with the construction and equipment of agro-processing infrastructure aimed at strengthening agricultural value chains.
Under Programme 043, MINPMEESA reveals that at least 150 women entrepreneur groups will receive structured training in bookkeeping, marketing, business plan development and Good Manufacturing Practices. The capacity-building phase is designed to equip participants with management and production skills required to formalise and expand their activities.
Officials stated that the training will support the development of sustainable enterprises along the Ring Road corridor, an area known for agricultural production. By strengthening financial literacy and operational standards, the programme seeks to improve productivity and market access for women-led businesses.
Three processing units planned in key divisions
Under Programme 044, three transformation units will be constructed and equipped in Menchum, Ngoketunjia and Donga-Mantung Divisions. These facilities are expected to function as central processing hubs where local agricultural produce can be transformed and prepared for market.
The establishment of the units is intended to improve value addition within the region by reducing reliance on external processing centres. The hubs will serve producers across surrounding communities, consolidating production and supporting structured supply chains.
In addition to the central facilities, 25 women’s groups drawn from 17 council areas will receive minimum processing machines. The equipment distribution is aimed at reducing post-harvest losses at the grassroots level and enhancing small-scale transformation capacity.
According to MINPMEESA, the initiative seeks to strengthen agricultural value chains from production to processing by equipping local groups directly. Officials indicated that the combined approach of infrastructure development and enterprise training is designed to increase output quality and market readiness.
The programme applies a three-pronged strategy: developing entrepreneurial skills, modernising production infrastructure and reinforcing value addition at community level. Authorities said the initiative is expected to provide women along the Ring Road with structured tools and facilities to scale up production activities within the agricultural sector. The partnership between MINPMEESA and UN Women forms part of ongoing efforts to expand economic participation through structured enterprise support in the Northwest Region.
Mercy Fosoh
