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Cameroon: The African Development Bank Engages in Dialogue with Cameroonian Financial Institutions

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Cameroon

Professional associations and the financial institutions that partner with them under the Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa” initiative also took part

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, November 11, 2022/APO Group/ — 

The African Development Bank’s (www.AfDB.org) Director General for Central Africa, Serge N’Guessan, led a delegation for a series of talks with stakeholders in the Cameroonian private sector, including women entrepreneurs, between 24 and 30 September 2022 in Douala.

Professional associations and the financial institutions that partner with them under the Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa” initiative also took part. The goal was to establish constructive dialogue between women entrepreneurs and financial institutions in Cameroon in order to catalyze women’s entrepreneurship in the country.

AFAWA, a flagship initiative of the African Development Bank, works to bolster access to finance for women entrepreneurs in Africa to bridge the $42 billion financing gap they face. The African Development Bank will mobilize up to $5 billion by 2025 to achieve this.

“It was a very good opportunity because these meetings enabled us to witness the obstacles which exist between the banks and us, women entrepreneurs,” said Michèle Kepeden Lewat, General Manager of Business Trade Cameroon SARL. The trading company specializes in the distribution of personal protective gear to industrialists and other workplace safety solutions, including gas detection and analysis, fire protection, lifting and handling, valves and fittings, and actuators.

The delegation visited two AFAWA partners in Cameroon: PRO-PME Financement S.A, a financial institution specializing in loans to small and medium-sized enterprises

The delegation visited two AFAWA partners in Cameroon: PRO-PME Financement S.A, a financial institution specializing in loans to small and medium-sized enterprises, and Ecobank, a pan-African bank.

“Beyond guarantees, which are a major constraint on women entrepreneurs, there is a problem of securing funds and keeping financial statements, which does not allow financial institutions like ours to properly assess the solvency of women entrepreneurs who approach us for a loan,” said Pierre Conrad Edzoa, CEO of PRO-PME Financement S.A.

For the Ecobank representative, Cameroon’s emergence depends on women. The bank has launched a program called Ellevate, which helps women entrepreneurs transition from the informal to the formal economy by offering them specific loans depending on the type of business and the guaranteed conditions.

“Before the guarantee, there is flexible pricing,” said Guy Martin Mbah, Head of small and medium-sized enterprises and Head of the network of branches at Ecobank Cameroon. He said, the ordinary loan is normally made on an interest basis of 10%, but women entrepreneurs benefit from a bonus. For the application fee, which is usually 1% of the total loan amount, women pay only 0.5%.

“We came to facilitate dialogue between women entrepreneurs and financial institutions. But we are very happy to see that this dialogue already exists, though it is still low-key,” said Charleine Mbuyi-Lusamba, Gender Officer at the African Development Bank. She added that: “The discussions of the past few days have enabled us to embark on the path to a flexible and frank dialogue, capable of creating a real economic dynamic in Douala and in Cameroon.” She also announced that a high-level AFAWA mission, headed by Esther Marieme Dassanou, AFAWA’s head, will soon visit Cameroon to strengthen ongoing initiatives.

“We sincerely thank AFAWA because its action effectively targets our needs. We are going to organize ourselves more and equip women entrepreneurs, so that they can be up to the job that AFAWA will bring later on,” said Alice Maguedjio, President of the Retailers Union of the Wouri Division, where the capital Douala is.

In Cameroon, AFAWA is a partner of three financial institutions through the African Guarantee Fund.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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Canada–Africa Financing Forum to Convene Investors and Decision-Makers in Cape Town – May 14, 2026

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Ateau Zola

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships

TORONTO, Canada, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business (https://CanadaAfrica.ca) will convene investors, financiers, policymakers, and industry leaders in Cape Town on May 14, 2026 for the Canada–Africa Financing Forum—a high-level platform focused on unlocking capital and accelerating deal flow across African markets.

Registration is open (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships. The program connects leaders from venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors to examine where capital is moving—and where the next opportunities lie—supported by Canadian project partners with proven capacity to deliver on-the-ground.

Delegates will engage directly with finance and investment decision-makers, following the program opening, featuring messages from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in addition to high-level Ministerial representation.

This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation

“This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation,” said Garreth Bloor, President of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business. “We are convening investors, institutions, and project leaders who are actively shaping transactions across Africa—and connecting them directly with Canadian partners who are ready to work together.”

The Canada–Africa Financing Forum reflects the Chamber’s role as a privately financed, market-led platform advancing Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.

Why Attend

  • Direct access to active dealmakers and capital allocators
  • Insights into where capital is being deployed and key players delivering major projects
  • Opportunities to build partnerships across Canada and African markets
  • Participation in a curated, high-level environment focused on execution

Secure Your Place

Space is limited and demand is strong.

Apply to secure your place (http://apo-opa.co/4vXb9oz)

Read More and View the Program (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.

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ORUN and 1xBET Partner to Support a Dynamic Creative Africa

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MIR Holding

During the MASA 2026 edition, held from April 11 to 18, 2026, ORUN and 1xBET implemented the We Champion Talent program, an initiative aimed at promoting African talent and advancing the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –As part of the Innovation Village co-organized with MASA at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan from April 14 to 18, ORUN (https://ORUN.Africa) announces the rollout of its partnership with 1xBET to support a creative Africa that is structuring itself, professionalizing, and scaling across the continent.

We aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency

Designed as a space of convergence between heritage, innovation, and knowledge transmission, the Innovation Village features scenography crafted by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses on creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a major institutional highlight on April 17. Its narrative platform is built around three pillars: memory, structure, and transmission. The initiative aims to position cultural and creative industries as an economic driver for the continent.

“The Innovation Village was conceived as an act of construction. By partnering with organizations such as 1xBET, we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

This vision aligns with ORUN’s broader ambition to produce, structure, and internationalize African creative industries through events, content, and strategic partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).

 

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MIR Holding Reaffirms Its Commitment to African Creative Industries Alongside ORUN at Marché des Arts du Spectacle Africain d’Abidjan (MASA) 2026

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MIR Holding

More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –On the occasion of MASA 2026, held from April 11 to 18 in Abidjan, MIR Holding (https://MIRHolding.odoo.com) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of African creative industries by partnering with ORUN as part of the Innovation Village, hosted at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan. This presence reflects a clear intention to support the scaling of cultural and creative industries so they can fully contribute to job creation and value generation across the continent.

 

Co-organized by ORUN and MASA, the Innovation Village brought together over several days scenography designed by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses dedicated to creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a key institutional highlight on April 17.

At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains

Built around three pillars — memory, structure, and transmission — the initiative carried a renewed ambition for culture: positioning it as a concrete lever for economic structuring and African projection.

By supporting this initiative, MIR Holding aligns with a broader dynamic aimed at strengthening connections between creation, entrepreneurship, content, youth, and growth ecosystems. More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures. MIR Holding stands among the main partners of the Village, alongside Africa Currency Network and other stakeholders engaged in this vision.

“With ORUN, we are not only seeking to make culture visible. We aim to help provide it with a framework, a reach, and a trajectory. What is at stake here is the continent’s ability to better transform its creative energy into sustainable value, real opportunities, and influence,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

Mouhamed Dieng, President of MIR Holding, added: “Supporting Africa’s creative industries is not about backing a secondary sector. It is about investing in one of the continent’s most powerful spaces for storytelling, youth, innovation, and competitiveness. At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MIR Holding.

 

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