IPA unveils fiscal incentives to visiting Chinese investors.

Thhe visiting investors were received by the Interim Director General of IPA, Boma Donatus.

The first delegation presented a multipurpose investment project known as the Kribi Industrial Park, covering agriculture, industrial production of daily chemical products, e-cigarettes, commercial services and logistics. 

A second delegation outlined plans for a project valued at billions of CFA francs, also requesting support measures to ease implementation. IPA officials used the meetings to outline incentives, regulatory requirements and expectations tied to investment agreements.

IPA boss welcomed both delegations, acknowledging the role of the Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, in facilitating the visit. He assured the investors of the agency’s readiness to support their projects through schemes put in place by the government.

“…I think all of this goes towards the way the Head of State wants it: more collaboration in terms of investments within the main stakeholders,” Boma noted.

He outlined Cameroon's investment appeal, pointing to the country's abundant arable land, its role as a gateway to Central Africa, and its membership of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA. 

He noted that over 9.6 million hectares of land are available for agriculture, while fewer than 2 million are currently in use.

On the country's economic strengths, Boma said challenges in energy, raw material transformation, and infrastructure, often perceived as domestic hurdles, represent genuine opportunities for foreign investors.

“Everything we can consider a challenge for us constitutes an opportunity. An investment in Cameroon gives you access to a market of over one billion people,” he said, referencing Cameroon's proximity to CEMAC member states, Nigeria, and AfCFTA signatory nations.

He also addressed existing difficulties, noting issues of corruption and judicial delays, while stressing that government institutions such as ANIF and CONAC had been established to address these concerns.

“The political will is there. The Head of State wants to see Cameroon become a hub, a destination for investors in Africa and, why not, the world,” he added.

IPA outlines fiscal, customs incentives 

The Director of Facilitation at the IPA, Menga Jean Stephane, presented the range of fiscal and customs incentives available to prospective investors under Cameroon's investment framework. 

He told the delegations that the legislative framework had been designed to minimise investment costs and maximise project profitability.

Available incentives include exemptions on import duties for equipment and machinery, VAT exemptions on imported equipment and bank loans, as well as exemptions on registration duties for land transactions, concession contracts, and leases. Investors in export-oriented industries may also benefit from exemptions on export duties.

“The sum of these exemptions could allow you to make savings in terms of costs in the order of 30 to 40 per cent of the fiscal charges you would otherwise have paid under common law,” Menga stated.

On financial regulations, he indicated that investors are permitted to conduct financial operations between their home countries and Cameroon, and to repatriate profits generated by their projects, subject to applicable exchange control conditions.

“We are quite liberal here in Cameroon,” he noted.

Obligations for investors

The IPA also set out mandatory requirements for investors seeking incentive conventions, including clearly defined policy on the recruitment of Cameroonian nationals, a technology transfer strategy, and a policy on the use of local natural resources. 

Investors are additionally required to submit annual activity reports to the IPA and contribute an annual levy to the Investment Fund.

IPA officials strongly advised both delegations to consider taking on Cameroonian partners, noting the practical advantages of local expertise, though such arrangements are not compulsory. 

The IPA also encouraged investors to support the communities in which they establish operations, including through local recruitment initiatives.

Kribi Industrial Park…

Speaking on behalf of the Kribi Industrial Park project, Nancy Zhang, outlined the delegation's interest in Cameroon's agricultural potential, with a focus on fruits and vegetables. 

She noted that the country’s favourable climate and abundant water resources make large-scale farming viable, with fewer infrastructure requirements than many regions in China.

The delegation also described plans for a daily chemical production facility, covering both personal care and medical care product lines including cleaning products for households, hotels, and public spaces, as well as medical-grade disinfectants. 

Zhang confirmed that products manufactured at the facility would bear the Made in Cameroon label.

Second delegation eyes Central Africa expansion

The head of the second delegation, Li, expressed gratitude to the IPA for its reception. Already active in West Africa, the delegation indicated it was seeking to expand its footprint to Central Africa through Cameroon. 

Li confirmed that the delegation had taken note of all requirements presented by the IPA and would undertake the necessary steps for an incentive convention to be signed ahead of the project’s launch.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3755 of Thursday April 09, 2026