How to start a business in Cameroon as a foreigner (2026)

Legal framework

OHADA Uniform Act on Commercial Companies and Economic Interest Groupings (AUDSC); Cameroon Investment Charter Law No. 2002/004; Investment Promotion Law No. 2013/004; CFCE (Centre de Formalités de Création des Entreprises) one-stop-shop regime

Key points: starting a business in Cameroon

1. 01Foreign ownership

   Foreigners may own 100% of a Cameroonian company in most sectors. Restrictions apply in sectors deemed strategic or sensitive by the government. Joint ventures and public-private partnerships are also permitted.

   state.gov kinsmenadvocates.com

2. 02CFCE one-stop-shop

   Registration is centralised at the CFCE (operated under the API), with branches in Yaoundé, Douala, Bafoussam, Bamenda, Garoua and Maroua. Filing through the electronic portal mybusiness.cm simultaneously registers the enterprise with the Commercial Register (RCCM), Tax Authority (DGI/NIU), and Social Security (CNPS), with documents issued within 72 hours.

   minfi.gov.cm yaounde.eregulations.org investincameroon.cm

3. 03Minimum capital

   For a SARL (private limited company), minimum share capital is XAF 100,000 (reduced from XAF 1,000,000 under reform). For an SA (public limited company), the minimum is XAF 10,000,000. Both forms are governed by the OHADA Uniform Act.

   businessincameroon.com kinsmenadvocates.com

4. 04Foreign investor pre-registration obligation

   Foreign investors must submit a written investment declaration to the Ministry of Finance at least 30 days before commencing operations. International traders must also separately register with customs authorities.

   state.gov

5. 05Branch-office restriction (OHADA Art. 120)

   A foreign branch must be attached to an existing or newly created OHADA-member-state company within two years of creation (extendable once by ministerial exemption). The 2024 Finance Law introduced fees for such exemption applications.

   kinsmenadvocates.com practiceguides.chambers.com

6. 06Practical timeline & complexity

   The World Bank estimates 14 procedures and approximately 82 days to fully set up a foreign-owned LLC in Douala, exceeding Sub-Saharan African and global averages despite the 72-hour CFCE window for core documents. Manual registration remains common due to unreliable internet connectivity.

   state.gov

Timeline of decisions

1. 1 Jan 2025Decision · official
   World Bank B-READY 2025: Cameroon Scores 58.75, Fifth Quintile

   The World Bank's Business Ready 2025 report placed Cameroon in the bottom global quintile with an overall score of 58.75 (global average 66.32); the public-services pillar scored only 36.30, exposing a persistent gap between enacted regulations and the on-the-ground ease of starting a business.

   World Bank B-READY

2. 13 Jun 2024Decision · official
   Decree 2024/02374/PM Formalises 72-Hour CFCE Single-Window Registration

   Prime Minister's Decree No. 2024/02374/PM restructured the Centre de Formalités de Création d'Entreprises (CFCE) network across six regional cities, mandating that all formalities previously spread across seven separate administrations be completed within 72 hours at a single counter.

   Cameroon Ministry of Finance (MINFI)

3. 1 Sept 2020Guidance · official
   EasyBusiness.cm Project Launched to Fully Digitalise Incorporation

   A four-year project (September 2020-June 2024) led by the Ministry of SMEs and APME, backed by UNCTAD, the EU, and AFD, upgraded MyBusiness.cm to EasyBusiness.cm, enabling end-to-end online company registration and formalising over 25,000 businesses in targeted regions.

   European Commission International Partnerships

4. 28 Feb 2017Decision
   Decree 2017/0877/PM Implements Notary-Free LLC Formation

   The implementing decree for Law 2016/014 formally removed the mandatory notary requirement for creating sole proprietorships and LLCs with share capital between 100,000 and 999,999 FCFA, cutting both the cost and time of formal SME incorporation.

   Nkafu Policy Institute

5. 14 Dec 2016Law
   Law 2016/014 Slashes LLC Minimum Capital to 100,000 FCFA

   Law No. 2016/014 reduced the minimum share capital for Cameroonian LLCs from 1,000,000 FCFA to 100,000 FCFA and made notarised deeds optional for smaller companies, directly implementing flexibility introduced by the 2014 revised OHADA Act to remove barriers for micro and small enterprises.

   OHADA.com

6. 1 Apr 2016Guidance · official
   MyBusiness.cm Online Portal Launched, First Fully Digital Registration Channel

   Cameroon's SME agency APME, with UNCTAD technical support and EU funding, launched MyBusiness.cm, the country's first online business-registration portal, allowing entrepreneurs to submit incorporation documents without visiting government offices.

   UNCTAD

7. 5 May 2014Law
   Revised OHADA Uniform Act on Commercial Companies Enters Into Force

   Adopted on 30 January 2014 in Ouagadougou and effective 5 May 2014, the revised Act introduced the Société par Actions Simplifiée (SAS) with flexible shareholder arrangements, formally recognised shareholders' agreements, and modernised corporate governance rules across all 17 OHADA member states including Cameroon.

   Library of Congress Global Legal Monitor

8. 18 Apr 2013Law · official
   Law 2013/004 Creates Comprehensive Private Investment Incentive Regime

   Law No. 2013/004 replaced the 2002 Investment Charter's incentive provisions with 24 fiscal and customs measures and 10 special financial/administrative provisions to attract new business creation, covering SMEs, agro-industry, and exporters in priority sectors.

   UNCTAD Investment Policy Hub

9. 1 Jan 2012Guidance · official
   eRegulations Cameroon Launched, Full Transparency of Business-Creation Procedures

   Cameroon adopted the UNCTAD eRegulations platform, publicly publishing the exact steps, costs, timeframes, and responsible officials for every business-creation and investment procedure, making Cameroon an early African leader in administrative transparency for entrepreneurs.

   eRegulations Cameroon

10. 19 Apr 2002Law · official
    Investment Charter (Law 2002/004) Guarantees Free Enterprise and Equal Treatment of Investors

    Law No. 2002/004 replaced the 1990 investment ordinance, enshrining freedom of enterprise, equal treatment of national and foreign investors, and state facilitation obligations for business creation; amended by Law 2004/020 to refine incentive categories and protections.

    WIPO Lex

11. 17 Apr 1997Law
    OHADA Uniform Act on Commercial Companies Enters Into Force, Foundational Company Law

    The original OHADA Uniform Act standardised corporate forms (SARL, SA, SNC, GIE, etc.) and created the harmonised commercial registry (RCCM) across 17 African states; it became the primary statute governing how businesses are legally formed in Cameroon and remains so today in its revised form.

    OHADA Uniform Act text via droit-afrique.com

12. 17 Oct 1993Law · official
    Cameroon Signs the OHADA Treaty (Port-Louis, Mauritius), Supranational Business Law Foundation

    As a founding signatory of the Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa, Cameroon transferred jurisdiction over core commercial law to a supranational framework, providing investors with a predictable, regionally uniform legal environment for starting and operating businesses.

    OHADA

Sources

1. 1.state.gov/reports/2025-investment-climate-statements/cameroon
2. 2.minfi.gov.cm/en/formalities-for-setting-up-an-enterprise-in-cameroon/
3. 3.yaounde.eregulations.org/procedure/180/135/step/678?l=fr
4. 4.investincameroon.cm/investir.html
5. 5.kinsmenadvocates.com/business-law/how-to-own-100-of-a-company-in-cameroon-as-a-foreigner/
6. 6.businessincameroon.com/companies/1303-6973-cameroon-lowers-required-capital-to-create-limite
7. 7.practiceguides.chambers.com/practice-guides/investing-in-2025/cameroon/trends-and-developments
8. 8.investmentpolicy.unctad.org/investment-laws/laws/45/cameroon-investment-law
9. 9.kinsmenadvocates.com/business-law/types-of-company-registration-in-cameroon-which-structur