Small Business and Entrepreneurship Center to Host Forum on Scaling Women and Youth-Led SMEs in Cameroon

Yaoundé, Cameroon: April 10, 2025 - The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Center (SBEC) of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation will host its annual forum on April 29-30, 2025, at Djeuga Palace in Yaoundé. Under the theme "Scaling Up: Expanding Youth and Women-Led SMEs in Cameroon," the forum will address critical challenges facing entrepreneurs while promoting sustainable solutions for business growth.

The two-day event will bring together over 200 participants, including entrepreneurs, policymakers, financial institutions, and international partners, to foster dialogue on enhancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Cameroon.

"Women entrepreneurs represent 24% of Africa's workforce, with Cameroon ranking third in female entrepreneurship across the continent. Yet only 12% of the country's SMEs are formally registered," said Sylvia Namondo, Interim Director of SBEC. "This forum provides a platform to address these challenges and create pathways for sustainable business growth, particularly for women and youth-led enterprises."

The 2025 SBEC Forum will feature plenary sessions, workshops, speed mentoring opportunities, and an exhibition showcasing products from women and youth-led businesses. Key thematic areas include:
education and entrepreneurship, financial inclusion for underserved entrepreneurs, public-private partnerships, promoting "Made in Cameroon" products, and infrastructure and competitiveness.
Notable speakers will include Dr. Denis Foretia, Co-Chair of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation; Babissakana, Chairman & CEO of Prescriptor Ltd; Dr. Caroline Sack Kendem, Chair of the Audit and Compensation Committees at ADVANS Cameroon; Chifor Moma, Director of the Center Regional Agency of the National Employment Fund; Maxine Moffett Lako, Founder and CEO of Bridge Africa Ventures; and Sorel Mouafo, Chairwoman of RAPEC, among other business leaders and policy experts.

Since its inception, SBEC has trained over 1,000 SMEs (52% women-led), helped formalize over 70 businesses, and facilitated the creation of more than 430 jobs across Cameroon. The annual forum serves as a catalyst for policy reform and ecosystem development.
This event is made possible through the generous support of the Rising Tide Foundation, the John Templeton Foundation, and the Atlas Network.

About the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation

The Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation was established to catalyze Africa’s economic transformation by focusing on social entrepreneurship, science and technology, innovation, public health, and progressive policies that create economic opportunities for all. The foundation works in partnership with local governments, policy makers, private enterprises, civil society organizations as well as development partners to expand the resources available to entrepreneurs, farmers, and small business owners in addition to improving individual livelihoods.

The Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation is a charitable, not-for-profit organization that relies on donations and Board support. We receive donations from individuals around the world, as well as institutional and project grants. The Foundation is in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

For Media Inquiries, please contact:
Mr. Ayukmba Nkonghonyor
Senior Communications Manager
NAyukmba@foretiafoundation.org, (+237) 654 86 72 54.
Register for the forum at foretiafoundation.org/2025-sbec-forum/