Frequently Asked Questions

The Cameroon Investment Forum (CIF) is the country’s flagship investment event, organised by the Investment Promotion Agency (IPA). Its 5th edition takes place on 18, 19 and 20 November 2026 at the Yaoundé Conference Centre (Palais des Congrès), under the theme “Unlocking new opportunities, investing in stability and growth: Cameroon, a strategic hub of the new African economy”.

Registration is online. Use the registration form (also available via the Register button at the top of every page). Keep your confirmation email: it will be needed for your badge.

Create a free profile on CIF 2026 Business Connect (b2bmatch.cif.cm), the official matchmaking platform. Once your profile is approved by the IPA team, you receive recommended matches and can book 20-minute meetings on 18, 19 and 20 November, with a reserved table at the venue.

The full programme, with sessions, times and speaker profiles, is on the Agenda page. You can save sessions to “My agenda”.

Most foreign nationals need a visa. Cameroon uses an official e-visa system: apply online at evisacam.cm. There is no visa on arrival at Yaoundé or Douala airports, so you must have your approved e-visa authorisation before you fly. The e-visa is for arrivals by air; if you travel by land, apply for a visa at a Cameroonian embassy. Some nationalities may be exempt: please check with the Cameroonian embassy or consulate in your country.

1) Create an account and complete the form on evisacam.cm. 2) Pay online (card or mobile money); fees are non-refundable and depend on the embassy handling your file. 3) The competent Cameroonian embassy reviews your application. 4) Once approved, you receive an authorisation with a QR code. Your fingerprints and photo are then taken and the visa issued, either at the embassy or on arrival at the airport. Apply at least 10 days before your trip: standard processing takes up to 72 hours after payment, express processing about 24 hours.

Requirements vary by embassy, but usually include: a passport valid for at least 6 months after arrival, a return ticket, your yellow fever vaccination certificate, proof of accommodation (hotel booking) and, for a business trip, a letter from your company and/or an invitation letter. Your CIF 2026 registration confirmation is also useful.

Registered participants who need a letter for their visa application can contact the CIF Technical Secretariat at secretariat@cif.cm, with a copy of their passport and registration confirmation. Please send your request well in advance.

Yes. A valid yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory for all travellers aged one year and over, and is checked on arrival. The certificate is valid for life. Get vaccinated at least 10 days before departure.

Malaria is present throughout the country: ask your doctor about antimalarial tablets and use mosquito repellent. Vaccines such as hepatitis A and typhoid are commonly recommended. Consult a travel clinic 4 to 6 weeks before your trip, bring your usual medicines, and take out travel health insurance.

The closest airport is Yaoundé-Nsimalen International Airport (NSI), about 27 km from the city. Yaoundé is served by carriers such as Air France, Brussels Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Royal Air Maroc and ASKY, among others. You can also fly into Douala International Airport (DLA), about 250 km away (around 4 hours by road). Please check current schedules with the airlines.

We recommend hotel shuttles or a taxi booked through your hotel. Avoid shared taxis, especially at night, and avoid driving between cities after dark. The Forum takes place at the Yaoundé Conference Centre (Palais des Congrès), Nkol-Nyada, Yaoundé.

Yaoundé offers international-standard hotels, including the Hilton Yaoundé, Mont Fébé, Djeuga Palace, Starland, La Falaise and Merina, among others. Hotels fill up quickly during the Forum, so book early.

The currency is the CFA franc (XAF / FCFA), pegged to the euro at 1 EUR = 655.957 FCFA. Cameroon is still largely a cash economy: major hotels accept Visa and Mastercard, but carry some cash. Withdraw money from ATMs inside banks or hotels, and change currency only at banks or authorised bureaux.

Expect warm days around 29°C and cooler evenings around 19°C, with occasional showers at the end of the rainy season: bring a light umbrella. Business attire is recommended for Forum sessions.

French and English are both official languages, and the Forum is bilingual. Cameroon is on West Africa Time (UTC+1), with no daylight saving time.

Sockets are type C and E (European two-pin), at 220–230 V, 50 Hz. Bring an adapter if needed.

Local SIM cards are available from operators such as MTN, Orange and Camtel (Blue); you will need your passport to buy one. Wi-Fi is available in most hotels.

Yaoundé is generally calm, but take the usual precautions: keep valuables out of sight, avoid walking alone at night and use trusted transport. Check your own government’s travel advice before you leave. Emergency numbers: Police 117 · Gendarmerie 113 · Fire 118 · Ambulance 119.

Cameroon combines a strategic location between Central and West Africa, access to a regional market of over 300 million consumers, a resilient and diversified economy, and strong natural resources in agriculture, energy, mining, industry and services.

Key high-potential sectors include agriculture and agro-industry (cocoa, coffee, cotton, palm oil, food crops), livestock and fisheries, energy (hydropower, solar, gas), mining, manufacturing and processing industries, tourism, telecommunications and the digital economy.

We provide market and regulatory information, identify and package opportunities, facilitate contact with public authorities and technical partners, support project structuring (including incentives and permits), and accompany investors throughout implementation.

Under the private investment incentives law, investors, domestic and foreign, can benefit from tax and customs exemptions or reductions during the setup and operational phases, as well as administrative and financial facilitation such as simplified visas, foreign-exchange flexibility and support through one-stop investor centres.

Yes. Foreign investors can fully or partially own companies and assets, subject to sector-specific regulations and general national laws; investment and company regimes are aligned with OHADA business law and national investment codes.

Thanks to the Enterprise Creation Formalities Centres (CFCE), a company can typically be registered in about 72 hours, either in person in major cities or online via the official business registration platform.

Cameroon has maintained macroeconomic stability, controlled inflation and ongoing structural reforms while facing regional and global challenges. It plays a leading role in CEMAC and benefits from support programmes with partners such as the IMF, World Bank and EU to strengthen growth and governance.

Investment is governed by an investment charter, the law on incentives for private investment, specific sectoral codes (mining, oil, gas, economic zones), OHADA business law and international agreements that protect and guarantee investments.

Yes. Cameroon is a member of CEMAC and ECCAS, and participates in agreements and initiatives such as the AfCFTA, WTO, the Francophonie, the Commonwealth and multiple bilateral investment and trade agreements.

Cameroon has four international airports, four ports (including a deep-sea port at Kribi), an expanding road and rail network, and major ongoing energy projects (hydropower dams, gas and solar projects) to improve reliability and capacity.

Yes. Cameroon has a young, dynamic population and a growing pool of graduates from universities, technical institutes and professional schools in fields such as engineering, business, agriculture, health and ICT.

Yes. We help investors understand the PPP framework, identify suitable infrastructure or service projects, connect with competent authorities and structure partnership models such as BOT, BOOT and related schemes.