(3 Minutes Read)
Cameroon witnessed a notable rise in women’s entrepreneurship in 2024, with nearly four out of every ten new small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) registered being owned by women. According to the Ministry of SMEs and Social Economy, out of the 443,524 SMEs registered during the year, 167,652 were owned by women, representing 37.8% of the total.
This marks a significant increase from 2023, when 148,620 women-owned businesses were registered, showing a year-on-year growth of 19,032 enterprises. Despite this positive trend, men continue to dominate the SME landscape, accounting for 275,872 of the businesses registered in 2024, or 62.2% of the total. This figure is also up from 244,555 in 2023, indicating growing participation across the board.
The overall SME sector in Cameroon grew robustly in 2024, expanding by 12.8% compared to the previous year. The number of registered SMEs rose from 393,175 in 2023 to 443,524 in 2024, reflecting the government’s efforts to foster entrepreneurship and improve business registration processes.
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A breakdown by economic sector shows a strong concentration of SMEs in the tertiary sector, which includes trade and services, making up 77% of all registered businesses. The secondary sector, encompassing industries such as construction, manufacturing, and processing, followed with 100,680 enterprises. The primary sector — agriculture, fisheries, and livestock — remains the least represented, with only 444 registered SMEs.
This surge in female entrepreneurship highlights ongoing shifts in Cameroon’s economic landscape and signals progress toward greater gender inclusivity in business ownership.
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