Cameroon Achievers Mag - Issue No. 001

Cameroon’s Leading Online Publication INSIDE THIS EDITION

The Most Valuable Brandsof the Year.

Issue N°1 Dec 2017-Feb 2018

From Mobile Money to Cryptocurrency.

Will the Bitcoin Actually Replace Traditional Currencies?

5 Questions Answered.

2017 ANNUAL POWERLIST THE TOP 40 UNDER

ACHIEVERS OF THE YEAR

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Honoring The Brightest & Most Join the Under 40 Hard-Working Young Leaders Achievers Club In Our Nation.

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Digital Trends and Its Influence On Today’s Brands.

CONTENT 06 10

Spotlight on an Entrepreneur Jean Pierre Boep On The Digitalization

Leadership Development Word from Roland Kwemain

Published by AVICOM-GROUP www.avicommgroup.com E-mail: contact@avicommgroup.cm

Tel: 00237 671 223 634 P.O BOX 10275 Akwa, Douala, CAMEROON P.O BOX 2045 OSU Tel: 00233577619431 Accra, GHANA ____________________ Editor In Chief Ruth Tembe EPIE Managing Editor Ajumane Akam Francis

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The Achiever’s Life Luxury, Travel & Style

Copy Editors Bih Hilda Ngum Serge Minsoa Contributors Momo Bertrand Solange Achu Art Director Shey MacDonald Graphic Designer Mfondi Ouzer Web Master Cedric Che Azeh

Business & Finance -Strategic Marketing for a Digital Age How Companies can Harness the Power Of Digital Revolution.

For all Inquiries on Advertisement and Subscriptions Send E-Mail to editor@cameroonachievers.cm

www.cameroonachievers.cm

EDITORIAL

Create the Future you want to see.

W

e can predict trends, we can create them and implement them. Today we have the power to create the future we want to see. How about harnessing that power to create our reality?

When I moved back from Ghana to Cameroon few years back, one thing I noticed was the lack of different systems and structures in this country to facilitate business transactions. So many experiences and encounters left me appalled. The reluctance of the elite and already “made men” to give a helping hand to a younger and more passionate and visionary generation was amazing. Unlike in other African countries, Cameroon was just so particular and quite hard to breakthrough in.

However, after meandering in the deep waters running through the Republic, you finally hit a stone and the river flows through leaving you behind.I realized that in this whirlwind of uncertainty that has engulfed Cameroonians, some of them have decided not to be shaken as many have stood the test of time. It is in this regard that Cameroon Achievers was created, to act like a support system to

those who are staying off ,imingling with a gang of “beer sippers” (or what have you) to be the change this country is ardently seeking.

We do not exist to dictate a way of life, we are here to build what has been ruined. The hashtag New Generation defines a new breed of people with different mindsets ready to acquire the necessary skill set that will be put into use to shift paradigms.

On this note,I hail all you under forty Achievers of this year. Know that this is the time to create the future you want to see. I say this smiling because I know that the #NewGeneration is the “issh” in terms of achieving greatness and creating positive change.

We also founded a club where like-minds can meet to discuss and plan future agenda, build strong ecosystems that will empower one another to scale.

In this edition, you will read excerpts and insights by young minds spurring you to grow. Once more kudos to our Achievers of the year hoping we make a date in the next year if you don’t cross the forty mark.

Ruth TEMBE EPIE Interact with me @ruthtembeepie on

INTERVIEW

What does it mean to be a digital entrepreneur today?

2. Has Cameroon really embraced the digital revolution?

I think being a digital entrepreneur today looks easy on the eye because in the world today, especially in the west, change are driven about by digital entrepreneurs. They bring about development at various levels and have a mindset to always innovate and bring change in the various sectors. These entrepreneurs are in the right environment, they are respected, they earn a lot of money and raise funds through various means, crowd funding, fundraising…etc. So today it is very easy to be perceived globally as a digital entrepreneur because the digital economy sets the tone for the various policies in health, education, agricultural development etc.. Globally we can say it is very good to be a digital entrepreneur but the trends are completely different in Africa.

Unfortunately we embraced digital economy in Africa, especially in Cameroon without being ready for the challenges that come along with. Consequently we are not keeping to pace, so we don’t have the same realities and challenges with them. So as a digital entrepreneur in Africa and Cameroon in particular, we are in what I will term struggle because we have to put up against several obstacles. Being a digital entrepreneur in Africa is not the same being one in the West, it’s rather a progressive and participative development without really enjoying the same revenues that other entrepreneurs elsewhere will gain.

This is a very complex question. From an external point of view, it seems we have fully entered into the digital age because for the past two years, we have had several political speeches left and right on the issue giving the feeling that we have several startups that come up with applications every day or companies are going digital etc… so all of these can give us that feeling.

However, I have a different opinion on this, I have been observing this sector for the past five to six years and I can affirm that we are lagging behind, we are not doing the right things to embrace a digital economy. I think we have made a lot of speeches than concrete actions. Internet is still very expensive in Cameroon, telecommunication services are still very expensive, there is no global strategy, though we have been told for the past years that the state is working on a global ICT strategy, but we have the feeling that it is slow to come to fruition. We could also have the feeling that many youths are getting involved but when things are not put in place for a proper education, future entrepreneurs to have the necessary training in order to be competitive, when nothing is implemented globally such that everybody can have access and use the applications, when there is no concrete mechanism in place to support the various technological sectors in place, when there is no strategy between the state and telecommunication companies to put in place a

real strategy to cause about a real technological change, it will be deceitful to think we have embraced the digital technology. I think we are far behind as compared to countries like Senegal, Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa. So I think stakeholders in the sector must be honest and realize that digital technology is an important vector for growth and development. We need to ask ourselves the right questions so as to come out with the real answers that will set up a favourable environment for our youths who are tilted towards this sector, then can we say we have embraced the digital economy.

3-In a Cameroonian context, how challenging is your profession?

I think I have answered part of this question in the previous question. I think we have to differentiate between what I will call digital jobs from a marketing point of view and all what concern digital technology like startups, mobile applications, training of developers etc… I am (un)fortunate to find myself in both sectors. In terms of challenges, at the level of digital marketing, I can honestly say progress has been made but we should not rest on our laurels. Big companies have gone digital in terms of marketing with digital departments and trained experts but small and medium size enterprises are still a step behind because they need the means and training in order to go digital and this can be a big challenge to them given that they even struggle to exist beyond three years. As concerns the challenges faced by startups, the training of developers is a big problem. We lack trained and quality developers who are capable to render services that meet international standards. Education and sensitization of the population is another big challenge. It’s useless to develop a product that will not be used by the people, so we need time to educate the public. But it is not done in a day, it takes a lot of time for this to be possible and we need a good strategy to put in place in order to educate the people. We also need to be conscious that digital technology is

the future so we need to invest in startups that look promising so that they can have a means to develop their products, commercialize them and conquer new markets. I think this is the biggest challenge of all, people don’t have the means to develop their products because the environment is not favorable to raise funds and be able to market your product and make it competitive on the international scene.

4-ow can one surmount these challenges?

I am tempted to say let’s be patient but in the present context, I have learnt to be realistic and I don’t see how we are going to create a digital revolution in 2018. I think we need to be patient and lay emphasis on the three sectors I have listed above, namely training, educating on how to use the tools and mechanism to finance digital projects.

Today, there is no bank that finance such projects. This is not strange as banks are not the right organs to do such, it is just an example, and those involved should create a task force to create a means to get funds. In terms of education, training centres need to integrate this challenge. Very few training centres can aptly offer quality training on digital marketing, talk less of updating technical schools in web, mobile and robotic training. Stakeholders in the private sectors must be conscious of the challenges that lie and be bold to make real, bold and strategic choices for the future. It is common to want to reap profits immediately we invest forgetting to know the digital sector is a long-term investment, consequently be able to invest on a project, a youth and a team for at least ten years. This will builds up people capable of bringing a real change in the sector and bring concrete solutions.

Honestly I don’t know how the state can help but even at the level decision making, there is much the state can do and that is where we are hoping they can do something, like redefining the status of a startup, set a fiscal law relating to the sector, look for means to regulate and accompany the sector as it is done in other countries. Not just organize one or two conferences in a

year but to be fully involved in the process.

At the level of trainings, stakeholders in the private sector must come together and look for means to regulate and bring quality training and entrepreneurs and those in the finance sector should take the risk to support the digital sector if not, we will not be able to surmount the challenges.

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5- What are the five things you would recommend for the Cameroonian economy to become fully digitalized?

Firstly, the telephone and internet sector must be regulated in Cameroon. Reduce camtel’s monopoly on the internet so as to allow others to come in and this will provide more competition leading to a drastic reduction of the cost of internet. Secondly, administrative bottleneck must be reviewed.

It is very difficult just to get an ID card, it is difficult to get a certificate of nationality or whatever document you want to get.

Thirdly, the state needs to define a real strategy on digital economy for the next ten years, fourthly a mechanism needs to be put in place to support actors in the digital economy like startups, in terms of financing, training and working with incubators or create more incubators to really lead to a significant outcome in the future. Finally, regulating the sector because startups cannot be subjected to the same fiscal laws that are in place.

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6-Any advice for people who want to get into digital entrepreneurship?

I don’t know if I am well placed to give an advice but I just have to tell youths who want to embrace digital entrepreneurship have to understand it is a process and they need to be patient. I recommend patience, take time to get well trained, take time to study the market and environment and take take to assemble material and financial resources if not it becomes very difficult. We are all trying to build the sector but we must admit we are not yet ready so we need time to put our various contributions together to build a solid foundation so that in the years to come our product can invade foreign markets.

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Cameroon’s Most Influential Digital Magazine

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Lead LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

DO NOT FOLLOW

By Roland KWEMAIN

The truth is if we don’t know where we are coming from it is difficult to know where we are heading to. If we are not redeemed spiritually and connected to our glory past, it becomes practically difficult to address the current challenges faced by the world and even impossible to be sustained materially in the future. We should stop focusing on what divides us and rather build on what unites us.

The way forward will be essentially COLLABORATION and other Cs. Creativity-Commitment-Confidence-Cooperation-Common Sense-Communication-Consistency-Conviction-Competency-Citizen ship-Conscience-Courage.

Over the last 15 years of my various professional commitments, family, social and spiritual, I was able to discover the power of the delegation.

Delegate it’s assign to another a job that we can do ourselves. Delegate helps us to be more effective. He allows us to do more than we can imagine.High performance people tend to be perfectionists, with a strong tendency to do things themselves.

If we are doing everything ourselves, we can never have enough time for ourselves. The delegation of effective implies a balance between the control, the order and the trust.

When we delegate, we are strengthening the capacity of someone by giving him the opportunity to be useful. Most people are not happy that if they contribute to the attainment of a great vision. And for this, they must believe in and follow the leader that they admire and respect.

If we want to be good leaders, we must learn to delegate. As an entrepreneur, the progress of our business is directly related to the level of the control of the daily tasks of management that we are ready to give up and focus more on the strategic issues.

At the beginning of this week, we need to take possession of this formula: ZERO CONFIDENCE + Zero delegation = Zero progress. In reality, all lasting success comes more quickly and if we all agree that Leaders are learners, then Teaching becomes one of the success principles. We can learn how to undertake anything we hope for by teaching, educating, empowering and coaching others. One of the efficient ways to learn is to teach.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT And the best way to teach is by illustration. True Leaders are constantly updating their knowledge and acquiring new competencies. Who we know is important (network) but WHAT we know is the bond that ties us to the people we are called to serve.In life as in leadership, there are 3 important times:-The Past-The Present and The Future. They are all linked. The effective management and a good mastery of the above is a key success factor to anyone who aspires to greatness.

Thinking and staying in the past will instead allow us not to concentrate on what is at our reach. We may be nostalgia or too regretful.

Worrying a lot about the future is dangerous for our mental and physical health. We may develop constant anxiety.

The present is our best gift. That is why we should focus all our energy in making the best if we are calmed and cool, we will see that the out of it…We should be occupied (busy) but not preoccupied (idle) by controlling our thoughts. No solution is not as far as we could imagine. matter the mightiness of our current challenges, God’s time is the best!! obstacles, frustrations…

As a member of the Under 40 Achievers Club you get to travel within the national territory on board Camair-Co for free! Log on to www.cameroonachievers.cm to become a member today.

BUSINESS & FINANCE

FROM MOBILE MONEY

TO CRYPTOCURRENCIES: Will the bitcoin actually replace traditional currencies?

If you don’t know about Bitcoin and blockchain, you should – especially if you want to accumulate wealth in Africa. Bitcoin is the virtual currency challenging governments, circumventing banks and threatening to blow old-school currency out the water.

Just 10 years ago, Bitcoin was another office joke in Africa. The rare few who took it seriously have made millions.

“One year and seven months ago. November 2015. That was the month I started with R3,500 ($260) and now it’s worth R37,000 ($2,800). A Bitcoin was $260. Exactly one year later that Bitcoin was $900. It grew over 300%. Today it’s $2,800.”

This was the moneymaking turning point for communications and marketing employee Shireen Ramjoo who, at the age of 32, was so taken by Bitcoin she left her job in the bank to start her own consultancy, Liquid Crypto-Money.

From humble worldwide beginnings Bitcoin, a digital currency, otherwise known as cryptocurrency, was born from blockchain technology – a mass linking of computers. The midwives are an estimated 5.8 million users generating a market value of $27 billion, which represents a level of value creation on the order of Silicon Valley success stories like Airbnb, according to the 2017 Global Cryptocurrency Benchmarking Study by the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance.

The impact of Bitcoin has been compared to the day paper money replaced gold and silver. It is so new that like there were no computer technicians before computers, there are few Bitcoin experts, more educated guessers.

Bitcoin is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to blockchain technology. Many financiers argue it will transform the world money system and maybe be the next dotcom-style boom in Africa. Up for grabs are billions more as peer-to-peer networks spark new business platforms and threaten to wash away established business practices that have been around for centuries.

“The first time I heard about Bitcoin, I had to write a press release for Standard Bank. It must have been early 2012. At the time I didn’t understand it, it just went over my head. I thought it was too technical.

After I left the industry I wanted to be my own boss. I was looking for an opportunity and came across Bitcoin,” says Ramjoo.

She has made a business out of educating clients on Bitcoin, blockchain and cryptocurrency – topics that leave many baffled.

“We are in an evolution of money here. What people don’t realize is when the internet first started some governments were against it.

« Ramjoo’s venture is just one small example the business generated by the rise of this cryptocurrency.»

As more countries started adopting it, more countries got involved.

That’s the same phenomenon happening here,” says Ramjoo.“We keep hearing of [blockchain] from a more technological point of view.

Remember the topic of money is social… when you understand that this is actual money that you can use – I can go and buy bread and put petrol in my car – then you start wanting to find out more.”

Ramjoo’s venture is just one small example the business generated by the rise of this cryptocurrency. Since Bitcoin, more than 800 cryptocurrencies have blossomed in this unregulated market.Cash is falling out of fashion – will it disappear forever?So what is blockchain and bitcoin?When you transfer cash your money goes through the bank to another person. The bank, who acts as a central mediator, charges you a service fee and makes a record of the transaction.

Until recently, the bank was the only keeper of these records, which in turn is proof of your transaction. This is called the ledger system. The process of verifying the information takes days and also means banks are able to dictate the cost of these

Blockchain short-circuits the ledger system in the blink of an eye, by decentralizing it. In 2008, a paper published under the alias Satoshi Nakamoto suggested instead of your transaction being in one single computer server at the bank, you could store a transaction on thousands of computers around the world at the same time – rent-a-crowd worldwide.

“There are a whole lot of people logged onto this network and confirm all these transactions all day long. What do they get as a reward for it? The answer is Bitcoin. The reason why Bitcoin exists is to reward these people that make their computers available to store data and to become a world super computer that looks over transactions,” says Ran Neu-Ner, Johannesburg entrepreneur and Co-Founder of the Creative Counsel.

The Emperor’s New Coins Not only does this mean there are literally millions of back-ups, so that you cannot delete the transaction should the bank be hacked, but also the bank is no longer needed to make the transaction.

In effect blockchain cuts out the middleman making all the rules, all the money and protecting your privacy.

“The Bitcoin isn’t important. The piece of tech that’s important is the blockchain that gets tech around the world to become a super computer to transfer money to store contracts or whatever else,” says Neu-Ner. Imagine a world where people go from place to place in driverless cars, where there are no stop streets, or traffic lights, and machines decide how fast you get to your destination. If you can dream it, Neu-Ner can see it.

“Think 10 years from now, when there are only driverless cars on the road. You don’t have to have anything on the roads created for human nature.”“Imagine the scenario: we’re driving in driverless cars, we both need to get to work. Your car is in front of my car. You want to pass, so you would normally flash your car’s lights. But in a driverless car you’re not able to flash lights at each other and say move over.”

The solution will be for driverless cars to set up smart contracts and you’ll pay in [cryptocurrency].

“The guys who are working on driverless cars are working on that blockchain right-of-way system right now.”

“The keyword when you are thinking about the blockchain is decentralization… Just keep asking yourself, if something is centralized, how is it going to be disrupted?

Because it’s going to be disrupted.

It’s a new economy, where everyone who contributes earns their fair share in tokens,” says Neu-Ner.Trading and spending Because it is an international currency, the Bitcoin, as well as the world, is your oyster. You can travel the world by spending Bitcoin. In Japan, for instance, over 200,000 stores now accept Bitcoin.

This is how it works.

While on the way, a Bitcoin can be purchased on exchange sites when you are starting out. All you need to do is download an app, load up some cash and then start buying.

Some financial brokers will even purchase Bitcoin fractions on your behalf.

The exchanges vary but we’ve found bitcoinzar.co.za offers a number of companies that will accept PayPal, your credit or debit card, and person-to-person. There is even a BTM (bitcoin ATM) at a business called Metroman in Kyalami, Johannesburg, that accepts rand in exchange for Bitcoin.

It is even possible to get your salary in Bitcoin; it’s as simple as a shopping cart on an online store.

There are, however, pitfalls. You must research the apps and look for realistic returns when investing in cryptocurrency, especially ones you are not familiar with. Schemes, such as Pipcoin, offered high returns of 35% a month and many fell for it.

“Millions were invested in it and many lost money, because they couldn’t tell it was a scam. It was plugged as the coin of Africa. So if you don’t understand how coins are generated, you won’t know how these schemes operate,” says Ramjoo.

« Imagine a world where people go from place to place in driverless cars, where there are no stop »

Banks are transforming Africa is looking at adopting blockchain-based currency. In February, the South African Reserve Bank said it is open to issuing a national digital currency, which would likely be based on blockchain or distributed ledger technology. Senegal is set to roll out its eCFA, a digital version of the West African franc, later this year, and there are even plans to extend distribution across the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).

“There is going to be a new generation for banks. We are starting to see it play out in the market – governments starting to issue out their own cryptocurrency. Tunisia was the first country in the world to have its own government-issued digital currency… Some people are old school and will keep their money in the banks. But the bank of the future will not be the same as it is now,” says Ramjoo.

This is just the beginning of a new system that will transform the world and make billions in the process. Many people don’t understand what’s happening; those that do will likely

become even richer.

Coin Collection?

Cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, is generated in the form of data strings. Only computers can solve the complex mathematical equations. For every completed equation, a coin is created and the coin that follows requires more data and processing power to add to the string, which in turn keeps a record of every transaction ever made.

“Bitcoin is not a company, nor does a single person or organization issue or control Bitcoins; therefore, it has no central point of failure. For this reason, nobody can inflate the currency supply and create hyperinflation crises, such as those that occurred in post-World War I Germany and more recently in Zimbabwe. In 2008, the government of Zimbabwe printed so much of its currency that in a single year, a loaf of bread increased from $1 to $100 billion. In both cases, any savings that people had in the form of national currency were completely destroyed.” – by Conrad Barski and Chris Wilmer

STRATEGIC MARKETING FOR A DIGITAL AGE: How Companies can Harness the Power of Digital Revolution.

By Momo Bertrand Have you ever imagined Jesus living in our age? His Twitter hashtag would probably be #SonOfGod. One million people would watch him healing lepers Live on Facebook. Another million reposting his Last Supper selfie on instagram. The SnapChat ‘Christ’ cover would be trending every 25th of December (It probably is already).

The Preacher of Galilee would be very different from the old age.

It therefore comes to me as a surprise that many companies I happen to work with never still behave like institutions of biblical times. Their CEO’s are High Priests, who have the final word on everything that has to be done in firms. They still rely on grapevine to spread the word about their products. In many ways they are oblivious of that the Red Sea is open before them, and that a promise Land of Technology lies within their reach.You have probably been submerged with one million and one calls for ‘digitalisation’. I too. However, I found one of the most serious predictions on our digital future in the book ‘Machine Platform Crowd’ by MIT professors Andrew McAfee and Erik Brynjolfsson. They focus on three key aspects of the digital revolution: Machines, Platforms, and Crowds.

‡ 'LJLWDO 0DFKLQHV LQ WKH IRUP RI VHOI driving cars, drones, 3D printers an neural networks (Artificial intelligence) a redefining how companies and individuals create products AND INFORMATION. ‡ 2QOLQH SODWIRUPV OLNH VRFLDO QHWZRUNV UBER, RBNB are creating new forms of competition, and questioning the needs for stocks and conventional businesses. ‡ &URZGV KDYH DVVHPEOHG WR EXLOG Wikipedia and Linux, proving that the best ideas are not always on the fourth floor of a Silicon Valley startup.

You can watch Andrew’s presentation of Youtube, to get a sense of what awaits you globally.

I’d like to focus on one key aspect which, as a digital marketer, I have laid particular interest in: content.

Jesus, Hitler or Coca-cola, they rose to prominence essentially because of what they said, (and what others said about them too). And it is clear that customers don’t buy if they don’t know.

The most overt aspect of the digital revolution is the avalanche of content. Texts, videos, audios, GIFs, images are flooding in from every device. Companies and cable channels no longer have the monopoly of content. Every Jack and Gill with a Nokia can put out a message so appealing that it racks up one million views.

So the question you need to ask yourself will customer stop watching cat jokes and Youtube and switch to boring product presentations instead?

I don’t have the answer to this questin unfortunately. I’ll encourage you to ask these to your employees, to your clients, to your wife. Tweet it too. The reactions and ideas you’ll get will give you an idea of the changes you need to make in marketing, human resources and leadership in order to truly reach your clients’ hearts.

Not all those who call me ‘Like, like’ will enter the kingdom of Facebook.

About Momo Bertrand with multinationals like Orange, Total and several start-ups, helping them to gain more clients on digital platforms.His clients call him a spectacular marketer. His mum calls him Momo Bertrand. He is a full-time uncle and a part-time marketer at www.MomoB.biz .Momo has worked

AVICOMM (African Vision Communications) Group has released its list of the 2017 Most Valuable Brands in Cameroon.

Whilst the telecommunications sector in Cameroon may face major challenges, in providing the best ISP services, it did not stop the telecommunications giant MTN Cameroon from reigning as Cameroon’s Most Valuable Brand of the year 2017. With services like the Mobile Money, MTN Business Master Classes, not forgetting their Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, MTN Cameroon added considerable value to its customers as well as the general public in 2017.

TECNO MOBILE unveiled the Phantom 8, a move that positioned this brand amongst the leading mobile telephone companies in the country, increasing the company’s net worth and value by 22%. UBA on the other hand brought in quite an innovative approach in the banking sector with the proliferation of its ‘Africard’ which came as the solution for online payment systems in the market.

JUMIA broke all the rules by slashing the selling prices of almost all commodities in the market and bringing them at proximity to the consumer. In 2017, the company has recorded an alarming increase in its total sales margin.

As Digital agencies flock the market, ODB left its mark as its Founder and C.E.O Jean Pierre BOEP went the extra mile to school the public about the internet of things with his flagship event “La Nuit du Web” – one of the biggest night in Cameroon which celebrates the best in the digital world. ODB also in the last quarter of the year launched an app called WEIZO, an online home delivery company.

Supplementing the list is AVICOMM Group’s pick for the most Innovative Brand which went to Camair-Co which is lifting its wings and soaring higher under its new management led by Mr. Ernest DIKOUM. The airline company in less than a year has introduced new flight routes within the national territory as well as international flights. But it is the launch of its flight to Bamenda in the North West Region of the country that left its clients delighted. The customer experience with Camair-Co is on the high.

To come up with this list, AVICOMM GROUP analysed a company’s financial performance, influence on consumers (brand loyalty) and the ability to command a premium price.

Here (in no particular order) are the top 10 Most Valuable Brands in Cameroon in the year 2017.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

UBA MTN Cameroon Jumia Media Plus Toyota Source Du Pays ODB Camair-Co Tecno Mobile Biopharma

The Achiever’s Life Luxury, Travel and Style

Sometimes, indulging in a world of beauty and style is just what a man or woman needs to appease his nerves in a chaotic and stressful world.

Thinking of Travelling in Style? Here are our best tips and ideas.

Generic Men’s Slim Fit Casual Premium Blazer $30

Sky Blue Long sleeve shirt $55

Aevogue Rectangle Flat Frame Designer Sunglasses $29

converse Chuck Taylor All-Star High Top $68

Rolex Men’s Steel and 18 Karat Yellow Gold Submariner Blue Dial Watch

Feixueer Luxury Leather Business trolley $120

Diesel Larkee Straight Fit Mid Wash Jeans $50

Duffel Traveling Bag 165$

Davidoff Cool Water For Men $67

Men’s Luxury Loafers -Crocodile Pattern $78 Jordan Retro Luxury T-shirt $25

Shahida Parides Designer Maxi Dress $37

New Directions 5 – Piece Pink Mettalic Gold Trim Luggage Bag $325

Women’s Chic Designer Fashion cat Eye Retro Sunglasses $24

White Balmain T-Shirt $25

Red ankle strap Wedges Suede Heels $34.00

Carolina Herrera 212 VIP Gold $68

Ladies Black Stret chy chain zip Diamante Skinny Jeans $70

Women’s Swiss Made Diamond Maker Floating Topaz Versace Watch $90

signature Jersey Blazer $40

Dolce & Gabbana Fire Classic Water Proof Cream Lipstick $33

Stuart Weitzman Alexis Espadrille Wedge sandals 45$

#thenewgeneration

40 40

40 40 UNDER

Even in a dwindling and very uncertain socio-economic and rocky political society, there are always resilient fellows. There are proactive people, tenacious individuals who go against all odds to achieve their goals with the resources available to them where they are located.

Producing this list of 40 Cameroonian Achievers aged under 40 was daunting as our editors found more than 100 young people in Cameroon doing great things in various areas. Young people in and without the country.

However our board of editors had to select and re-select the most influential ones who from the beginning of the year until these last days

UNDER

The List

have been consistent in their crafts or missions and have inspired and impacted lives and the Cameroonian society at large.Our Under 40 Achievers of the Year come from varied sectors – viz Business and Entrepreneurship, Media and Communications, Technology, Entertainment, Philanthropy, Fashion and Culture.

One thing these young people have in common is - they are forward-thinking, innovative, ambitious, purpose-driven, goal-oriented with an agenda to change the social and economic status quo of the nation.

Meet Cameroon’s 40 Under 40 Achievers of the Year 2017.

Kudos to these young but brave individuals who are making indelible marks in the history of this nation. #theNewGeneration

BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Flavien Kouatcha,

From Communications to Agricultural Revolution

Carine Andela

An Advocate Made in Cameroon She is a staunch advocate for the consumption of local products made in Cameroon. Founder of an association ASENIA, that seeks to promote and valorize entrepreneurs who brave the odds to produce home made goods. She is determined to convince her compatriots to consume Cameroonian and give value to local entrepreneurs.

It is in this framework that her organization organized a forum in August this year on African youths and their ability to bring together their entrepreneurial efforts.

Consuming “Made In Cameroun” products is not just just about attaching value but is equally a way of life, and a show of good citizenship, Carine Andela says.

She believes Africa needs a competitive marketing and commercial identity in order to stand tall reason why she is embarking on the “Made In” campaign with ASENIA.

He represents one of Cameroon’s brightest prospects in social entrepreneurship and agriculture. At just 28, Flavien Kouatcha is the CEO of two structures, Organiz Agency and Save Our Agriculture. Organiz is a communication agency specialized in public relations while Save Our Agriculture is a startup specialized in aquatic farming- this is where Flavien has made a name for himself.

Save our Agriculture was founded in 2015 to revolutionize agriculture in urban areas. At his start up, he has been able to produce aquatic kits aimed at nursing fishes and growing vegetables in the same kit without any chemical product. The kits sold between 80.000 and 250.000FCFA, Flavien and his team of eight workers have succeeded to produce them for professionals as well as local household use. At least 150 kits were sold in March 2016 when he rolled them out for sale and he insists on proper use as well as provide quality after sales services.

In November 2016, he was honoured with the Champion’s prize for agriculture by Africa 4 Tech foundation, a network of international entrepreneurs, scientists, developers and researchers in prelude to the Cop 22 in Marrakech, Morocco.

BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP Founder of Kiroo Games, this programmer and designer has taken time to place Cameroon on the African gaming map through his latest game "Aurion : l'Héritage des Kori-Odan".

Roland Fomundam,

The Greenhouse architect at work

Olivier Madiba,

Cameroonian Gaming Pioneer It took 13 years to see a video game made in Cameroon but the wait was worth it as Cameroon can now compete against gaming giants like Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana and South Africa.

The game draws inspiration from African culture and imagination, an idea he nursed while studying computer science in the University of Yaounde.

In 2013, he created Kiroo Games where he set up and trained a team of young Cameroonian to build video games.

Olivier hopes to produce his games later on on PS4 and XBOX ONE.

Roland Fomundam is a fine blend of technology, agriculture and entrepreneurship in one package. His vision of making Africa green is becoming a reality with his Green House Venture project. He is equally at the heart of several developmental projects in Cameroon and around Africa amongst which was the Youth Action Africa Inc which he founded in 2007 to promote young Africans involved in technological developments. The seasoned social entrepreneur has dedicated his time to find sustainable solutions to tackle challenges facing Africa’s agricultural communities that make up ‘65 percent of Africa’s labor force and account for 32 percent of gross domestic products (FAO).

He thus came up with Green House Ventures to improve the lives of farmers and address the challenges they face. Greenhouse business is modeled to challenge the stigma that agriculture in Africa is for the poor, but one that is enjoyable, profitable, sustainable and saves the environment.

He has led several research teams to Cameroon made up of students from the Northeastern University where he earned a Masters in Technology Entrepreneurship.

His solutions are serving as a yardstick in several communities in Cameroon

BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

William Elong:

Africa’s eyes in the heavens The founder of Will and Brothers startup dreams of revolutionizing Africa with the use of drones.

DroneAfrica is his baby project which seeks to associate drones with tourism, agriculture, defence, weather or even cartography.

“Drones can help us celebrate the architectural beauty of our cities, cover festivals, and our local events that could valorize our culture on the international scene,….I want Africa to have eyes in the heavens,” William Elong says.

Despite the lack of investment in the sector and deficiencies in information technology, his project has succeeded to raise 124million FCFA for the final phase.

Deeply involved in the RASP4DEV community, in distributing the Raspberry technology, a low-cost minicomputer, William Elong seeks to improve on education in rural areas with the use of new technologies.

Last year, he was ranked by Forbes amongst the Top 30 promising young African entrepreneurs.

Claudel Noubissie,

Revolutionizing Entrepreneurship in Cameroon

Writer, medical doctor, coach, and entrepreneur, Dr. Claudel Noubissie is an example of a versatile entrepreneur at the service of his nation. This young and dynamic entrepreneur is the founder of the “startup academy” which seeks to train future leaders end employers as opposed to most conventional educational setups that train people to become job seekers.

During his training sessions, he teaches his trainees how to take risks and draws inspiration from his personal example where he ‘’sold his bed’’(lose sleep) to engage in his adventures. He is one of the brains behind SOS Médecins Cameroun, a new vision in medicine that seeks to anticipate diseases and brings the doctors closer to their local populations.

In just over a year of existence, the “startup academy” is having a greater impact on the youths and Dr. Noubissie is not ready to stop soon. His enthusiasm, hard work and love for fatherland as well as his desire to see the youths transformed through an entrepreneurial are his driving force.

BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Vanessa Zomni,

A tea to Sweeten Lives A social entrepreneur who takes into account her positive return to society, Vanessa Zomni has a project which manufactures and processes the Moringa plant into Moringa tea. After attending several educational conferences and research programs based on her field of study, and after carrying out research, she realized that about 15% of the Buea population within the ages 15 to 99 suffer from diabetes and up to 80% are not aware of their condition. Thus she came up with Moringa tea as a natural answer to their predicaments. Fresh leaves from the Moringa tree are harvested and dried, allowing them at low temperatures to preserve the vital nutrients that will be released into tea water.

Research shows her tea boosts body energy in a natural manner and reduces the risk of diabetes by lowering the sugar level in the human system. Her drive to see her community develop a tea drinking habit has seen her train 15 young persons how to plant, cook and replant Moringa for animal life and afforestation.

Her exploits with the Moringa tea has seen her become the first Cameroonian woman to be selected as an Anzisha Fellow. She has equally received a wide media attention as she has been featured on CNN, ThisisAfrica , Media 256, and Forbes,and was nominated for the Cameroonian Career Women Awards.

A renewable energy activist, Monique Ntumgia is the founder of the Green Girls Asoociation, a project aimed at teaching students on how waste can be turned into a renewable source of energy.

The idea was inspired by her experiences to help students in areas without electricity keep up with their studies.

A lawayer and human rights activist working in Nigeria at the time, she immediately decided to turn her focus on promoting sustainable development in Africa with the help of renewable energy.

Monique Ntumngia,

Cameroon's renewable energy The project tackles pollution and provides cheap, renewable energy solutions in many parts of Cameroon by transforming waste into biogas.

Her project has also partnered with Bioenergy-Cameroon, which installs equipment that converts waste from septic tanks and pit latrines into biogas.

Many families have saved money thanks to Monique's cheap biogas with about 3000 households said to have benefitted while she is training many girls to think on new ideas on renewable energy.

Her efforts were recognised last August in Kigali where she won the first prize at the "Green Girls Monafrick Energy" awards.

At just 27, Monique certainly has more to offer to keep the planet save and empower women on renewable energy.

MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS Media Network, BDMA in Buea.

At just 21, there is more in the tank to come from the King of Cameroon’s blogosphere.

Bonteh Engelbert, The King Blogger

Bonteh Engelbert is at the top of the moving train of youths taking the bull by the horns.

In 2015 at just 19, he founded what is today known as Bonteh’s Blog-one of the leading blogs in the Cameroon media landscape.

This has earned him the name, the King of the blogosphere from his followers. He first started by publishing his poems, and opinion pieces, later revolutionizing the blog which today has an average of under half a million readers per day.

A Political Science student in the University of Buea, Bonteh has succeeded in transforming his passion for writing into a profitable venture. Amongst one of his innovations is the BMN-the Bonteh Media Network. Through this program, he has empowered several youths in Cameroon with the Bonteh digital Academy that held in Yaounde in 2017. The academy scheme was aimed at empowering youths with the various opportunities presented by the new media and drew wide attention with the American embassy showing interest in it.

Bonteh keeps striding. It is no surprise he is brand ambassador for Stanley Enow’s Motherland Empire. He has put his talent as planning and event manager into effective use and has organized several entertainment events like the Fill up Party and street turn up party in Buea.But Bonteh saved the best for the last in 2017 when he successfully organized the first and best digital media awardsin Cameroon baptized the Bonteh Digital

Laura Dave,

The Screen Star

Journalist and talk show presenter, Biassi Laura Davide popularly known as Laura Dave can walk tall as one of the best professional in her domain in Cameroon and French-speaking Africa.

Elegant charismatic and hardworking, Laura Dave sets the pace for young African women through her entrepreneurship.

A glittering career on TV that has seen her successfully co-host popular Sunday talk show program Jambo TV. Her talent was immediately noticed by VoxAfrica in 2012 who snatched her up to be the face of their flagship entertainment program Afrobuzz Douala-programme she has successfully handled.

In 2014, she went ahead to create her own production house called LD PROD, specialised in producing content for local and international consumption. As one of LD PROD’s major content, she partnered with renowned sports journalist, Martin Camus Mimb to produce an extensive documentary on the life of Samuel Eto’o in Turkey as well as other Cameroonian footballers in Turkey.

Beyond her passion for communication, Laura Dave is a woman that influences and inspire other women to believe in their potentials and she is therefore worthy of a place in our 40 under 40 selection.

MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS

Charles Ebune,

Cameroon’s eyes on the Globe He is a household name in the media landscape in Cameroon. Charles Ebune’s story is one of braving the odds at every stage to get where he is. But most importantly, his desire to empower the masses with information has been the driving force that has helped him power over the hurdles.

In a competitive and challenging media landscape in Cameroon, Charles Ebune has succeeded to pull a record 8 million viewers with his program Globe Watch. He has succeeded to bring the world closer to Cameroonians with the quality and mastery of his reports, subject matter and historical facts.

He has interviewed several high profile personalities like the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, the former FIFA President, the former Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission of Nigeria, the Pan African Parliament President, UN assistant Secretary General, the Executive of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, Unesco Director General, Irina Bokova and the former American ambassador to Cameroon, Michael Hoza.

The 31-year old was the winner of Sonnah Awards Best TV Presenter in 2013 and has won several other prizes for his role in the media. His latest documentary on his trip to Israel has gone viral and has drawn rave reviews from various local online media.

Cynthia Tabe,

A Touch of class to fashion Cynthia Tabe is the founder of ModeMaison PR, a communications, marketing and branding hub that collaborates with fashion, beauty, music and lifestyle brands in the African industry.

She is also the founder of WardRobe, a fashion boutique concept.

Her agency has provided quality services and worked with brands such as Mina Evans, Adama Paris, footwear brand My Miry, handbag brand Jezreel Designs, charity organisation P2P Nigeria as well as Cameroon music brands such as MTV Africa Music Award winner Stanley Enow, Myra Maimoh, Ciana, Jovi.

Her mastery of the Cameroonian and African fashion market has gives her the opportunity to sell the continent’s fashion image to the rest of the world. In 2016, she was invited as event speaker at the Fashion Africa Conference in London alongside renowned fashion professionals.

In 2014, Cynthia was invited to the Google Ireland HQ to discuss the African fashion market in conjunction with the celebration of Black History Month by the Afro Google Network (AGN).

For her efforts in selling the African fashion to the rest of the world, Cynthia Tabe is part of our 40 under 40 achievers’ list.

MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS

Julie Owono

Internet Activism at the Fore A Cameroonian journalist, rights advocate and activist, she is the head of the African branch of the non-governmental organisation Internet Without borders since 2010.

At just 30, she already has a rich career that has seen her work for the International Organisation for Migration as a consultant in the fight against human trafficking.

But she made a name for herself after joining Al Jazeera where she worked as a journalist for the African desk where she extensively analysed African affairs especially in the gulf of Guinea.

She has also appeared frequently on international media and programs like the BBC, France 24, Russia Today etc to analyse pertinent issues relating to the continent.

In her role with Internet Without Borders, she was very vocal in her campaign to advocate for internet to be restored in the two English speaking regions earlier in 2017. She appeared on several international media platforms to carry her advocacy as well as pushing the agenda on the various social media platforms.

The lawyer at the Paris Bar council was recently in Dakar alongside other civil society organizations to chart out ways of integrating gender equality in contemporary ICT policies in Francophone Africa. She hopes African government can implement policies to ensure more women have access to internet. She wants African governments to put more effort in protecting their citizens from hackers rather than spying on them.

“The advent of the social media changed my life for good. I had free access to internet reason why I have been able to be a blogger and write for The Economist, aljazeera.com, Quartz. I wish the new generation, especially women should have this access as I had,” Julie says.

In an era where the digital economy is proving to be the bedrock of growth and development, Annie Payep has been steadily laying her own blocks on the foundation.

Described as the face and voice to technology, her programme ActuNet on VoxAfrica television has shed more light on technological developments and advancements in Cameroon and the continent.

A programme that started as a six-minute slot on one of the Television’s talk show, quickly attracted the interest of her viewers across the continent. The impact of the slot was immediately felt and was later transformed into a 26-minute programme that gives insights into the technological world. Annie has extended the programme to Facebook and has also dedicated a Youtube channel for the same purpose. It was therefore no surprise when she recently clinched a prix for the most innovative TV program in Cameroon.

But Annie does not want to rest on her laurels. A beauty queen with a captivating presence on set, Annie also wants to use her voice to tie down listeners by giving another dimension of her concept on radio with the help of local partners.

“I want to be the bridge between the virtual world and the public,” Annie says.

This firm conviction and determination to go beyond bring the technological world closer to the people makes Annie deserving of a place in our 40 under 40 achievers.

Annie Payep, The TicActivist

MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS A dynamic and fearless youth, Nfor Hanson has carved out a niche for himself in the media landscape by giving a voice to the voiceless. Presenter of the prime time news on Equinoxe television, until recently December 2017 when he resigned, he succeeded to pull the attention of millions of Cameroonians with his insightful reports, news and analysis both on radio and television.

No one has shed light on the Anglophone crisis in the media like people’s prince. His Sunday evening program ‘’The Inside’’ was one of the most watched program in Cameroon due to Hanson’s ability to squeeze out deep-lying answers from his guest through piercing questions.

Media awards. Nfor Hanson, the prince of Cameroon journalism certainly has much in the tank to splash out.

Commy Mussa, Our sisters' Keeper

Nfor Hanson Nchanji,

The People’s prince Given his fearless passion to report nothing but the truth, it was no surprise when he was invited late in 2017 by the United Nations to speak on minority groups with respect to his experience in Cameroon.

Hanson Nchanji is presented another face of himself this year as an entrepreneur when he launched his own news agency to provide real time news as they break, to the public. In less than a year of its existence, the Cameroon News Agency drives an average traffic of 300.000 visitors daily.

It was no surprise CNA won the prize for the best news site at the Bonteh Digital media awards in December.This award comes to add to Hanson’s 2016 Guardian Post best TV presenter award.He has also picked up similar awards at the Scoop

The multi-award winning journalist is a fervent advocate for women's rights with a strong voice to expose social injustice against the vulnerable.

Her desire to empower women at all levels and represent them within the mainstream media as it is supposed to be has seen her treat sensitive issues on sexual and reproductive health which used to be publicly considered a taboo.

For girls to publicly discuss these topics, she created the sisterspeak237 platform where several taboo topics are treated without fear and possible solutions proposed.

Sistherspeak provides a shoulder for women to lean on and confide themselves without fear Her boundless desire to inspire confidence in women saw her create an independent show "Every Woman" which is aired on local Television. Every Woman gives women the chance to share their experiences so as to inspire their peers and the younger generation.

Inspiring the younger generation, Commy doesn't stop short at that as she is always on hand to lend her support and expertise to any developmentp-driven project .

Her works have not gone unnoticed as she has bagged home a plethora of national and internattional awards for service to humanity.

MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS

Celine Fotso,

Setting the standards for the youths Business lady, designer, event planner and community manager, Celine Fotso is a dynamic lady who has had the ability to put her talents at the service of the nation.

Founder of Je Wanda magazine, an online paper for mews, entertainment, lifestyle, fashion etc..., she has succeeded to shape societal discourse with a subtle style.

Holder of a degree in marketing in Nice, France, Celine's love for fatherland opushed her to come back to the country to carry out most of her projects that would benefit the youths.

After collaborating at the markleting and commercial departments at renown fashion designers like Yves-Saint Laurent, MichaĂŤl Kors, Smalto and encore RĂŠminiscence, her passion for culture and the beauty of Africa pushed her to create Je Wanda magazine. A magazine which is bhighly rated and one of the most read in the country and the continent.

She dreams of a youthful, modern and dynamic Africa where youths take initiatives, reason where she is giving most of the opportunities through her various projects.

Diane Audrey is a young Cameroonian lady passionate about Africa and the beauties it has to offer to the world. It is not uncommon to see Africa painted blur on the international media while most of its positives slip under the radar.

To reverse the trend and give a true face of the continent to the rest of the world, she decided to create an interactive platform called "visiter l'Afrique which aims at potraying a younger, modern and positive image of Afrique. The platform presents the beauty of the continents like touristic and attractive centres around Africa, as well as people sharing their experiences on their travels to Africa, photo albums that give the desire to visit touristic sites in countries like Zimbabwe , Cape Verde, Morocco etc.

She has succeeded to put up a team composed of six ladies to manage the platform and through crowdfunding she has been able to expand and rebrand the platform after two successful years of existence. This includes an english version of the platform which she was pdelighted to present in Abidjan as well as in Havard.

Today, we recognise her efforts to sell a positive continent to the rest of the world and acknowledge her as an achiever under the age 40.

Diane Audrey Ngako,

A Passion to Paint A New Africa

TECHNOLOGY

Achiri Arnold,

Saving Lives on wheels It’s no secret that many lives are lost in Cameroon through road accidents. In fact more deaths were caused in Cameroon by road accidents in 2014, according to the World Bank. In a bid to arrest this situation, Achiri Arnold invented Traveler, a mobile application which monitors the speed, location and number of passengers on a bus, and with the help of big data and machine intelligence alerts drivers and authorities to potential dangers. Inspired by the humanitarian works of Peter Drucker, the 27-year old believes in a robust transport and information system in Africa, which would curb road accidents and ameliorate emergency response.

Traveler, sends high speed alerts each time a given bus runs above regulatory speed limits and this could help reduce over speeding which is the main cause of accidents on our roads. The app notifies emergency services and families in case of an accident and also empowers people with no knowledge of first aid.

Traveler is made up of two apps, one for transport companies and the other for passengers and has a monitor that tracks the speed, position and performance of all buses registered in the system and automatically rates all drivers of public transport buses.

The app has more than 5000 downloads and over 500 registered vehicles.

At just 22, Alain Nteff has had a significant impact in reducing infant and maternal mortality in his community.

After seeing the high infant and maternal mortality rate in his local community, Alain set out to develop GiftedMom- a mobile App that offers services such as a vaccination tracker, breastfeeding info, and general antenatal care.

The app has had over 500 downloads and has helped improve 20% increase in antenatal attendance in 15 rural communities, having about 1200 pregnant women and mothers as beneficiaries.

His breakthrough has featured heavily on the international media like Huffington post, CNN, and Forbes Afrique.

A recipient of the Queens Young leader award, Alain’s project has grown in terms of revenue from a pre-revenue of $3000 in 2015 to a projected revenue $150000 in 2016.

Alain has been recognized as a Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum as well as Google as a student ambassador.

Alain Nteff, Alain Nteff,

Thefather father of Gifted the GiftedMom Mom

TECHNOLOGY An epitome of imagination and invention, Marc Arthur Zang represents the new breed of Cameroonians who can achieve much with less in hand.

Marc Arthur Zang

Bringing hearts together His invention, the Cardiopad is proof of his ingenuity, imagination and drive to impact the lives of Cameroonian.

His idea of the cardiopad, a touch screen medical tablet that enables heart examinations such as the electrocardiogram (ECG) to be performed at remote, rural locations while the results of the test are transferred wirelessly to specialists who can interpret them, was born from an internship at the Yaounde Cardio vascular centre where he saw the difficulties in providing care for cardiac patients.

At invention, the device was 97.5% and Zang says the treatment of patients with heart disease across Cameroon and the rest of Africa could be made easier whit this invention.

The Cardiopad is already generating a lot of interest in African tech and medical circles reason why the 30 year-old immediately set up his organisation Himore Medical Equipment.

Winner of awards from Rolex and Microsoft, he is the future the future of Africa according to Forbes Magazine.

Mambe Churchill Nanje is the face of modern technology in Cameroon. A self-taught software programmer as he will describe himself, Churchill is empowering Cameroonian as well as African youths today with his job search engine Njorku.

Founded in 2011, Njorku is a job search engine that specializes on websites that publish jobs. It searches jobs in Cameroon and 11 other African countries. Over 2 Million youths have used Njorku to search for a job since Churchill set up the search engine.

Looked upon as a model by youths, Churchill doesn’t shy away from his responsibilities. He is always on hand to give motivational talks top youths aspiring to become entrepreneurs and tech wizards. He is also the CEO of the AfroVision Group which specializes in the introduction of Africans to computer systems by delivering affordable web and software development services to the Cameroonian and African markets.

Mambe Churchill,

the digital Elephant Churchill deserves to be our 40 under 40 achiever as his success mirrors the hope placed on the digital economy in Cameroon.

TECHNOLOGY

We create and provide

Innovative Solutions to make businesses profitable.

Candace Nkoth,

The Digital Change Maker Candace “Adetutu� Nkoth Bisseck is a passionate professional who has devoted her time to help people improve their life, business and career via digital technology.

Through her platform digitalfordevelopment.org the multi-passionate workaholic, supports the work of digital changemakers .

She provides expert inputs as a consultant to many international organisations such on the role of the Digital Economy as a springboard for development As well as providing her expertise to small and medium size enterprises, she dedicates part of her time to young women and even men on how to shape their business careers.

Kaymu, now Jumia can testify of her inputrs on the e-commerce venture in Cameroon, teaching thousands of business persons how to generate additional revenues by using the the internet and digital tools to sell beyond their physical shops.

Her works have not gone unoticed as she was ranked first by Forlbes in a list of 30 young African changemakers in 2015.

She recently picked up the Next Generation Women Leaders Award from the American firm McKinsey and Company.

OUR SERVICES - Business Development - Creative Graphic and Web development - Outdoor Advertising - Publishing - Corporate Event Management

www.avicommgroup.com

FASHION

Kibonen Nfi,

True Ambassador of African fashion It is not every day you see a Hollywood start dressed by an African designer.

Lupita Nyongo’o had just appeared on scened purely dressed by KibonenNY. That is the challenge Kibonen Nfi beats, even in a tight market space she stands out tall.

You cannot talk about African fashion and designing without making reference to her. With KibonenNY, Kibonen Nfi plunges into a brand new label which better actualizes her vision as an African designer.

From when she first delved into the fashion scene with her expert blend of the hand woven traditional garments of Cameroon western highlands region, the toghu to her modern day designs, she has stood tall in all her works.

A certified image consultant, with a Masters degree in International Trade and Marketing, Kibonen is a shining light and pace setter in a fashion industry in Cameroon which remains largely unexplored.

A journey that started in 2008 in Bamenda, then took a different dimension three years later, Kibonen is now fully established in New York and dreams of conquering the world market.

Setting up in New York has not cut her from her roots as she regularly returns to Cameroon where she carries out projects aimed at promoting fashion, culture and local design.

A true ambassador made in Cameroon, the beautiful, smart and intelligent Kibonen is a yardstick and model for the Cameroonian woman in particular an the youths in general. You can nurtured ideas around your environment to make it big and that is just the path she has traced for the youths.

He is a household name in the fashion industry in Cameroon who is giving meaning to a sector that seems highly under utilised.

Specialised in fashion, modelling and photography, Alfred is giving has given a new lease of life to the industry.

After organising many other events, he decided to set up FIAFA, Fredash International Annual Fashion Avenue in 2011. The international annual fashion and cultural event has grown big with the years bringing together models and fashion designers across Cameroon and Africa. Through Fiafa, many young fashion designers and models have been put to the spotlight with their professional designs on display.

An innovation in the 2017 Fiafa event was the first ever “Fashion Modelling Entrepreneurship Workshop", aimed to boost job creation in the fashion industry as well as redefine the careers of young and aspiring models.

Many young designers, models, photographers, artists have been empowered through workshops and organizing cultural and entertainment events to become professionals.

From the humble beginnings in 2008, the Fredash Modelling agencing has grown big in the number of model and serves as a reference while the Fredash Photography studio is solicited by a wĂŽde range and variety of artists.

For his enormous contribution to the fashion and entertainment industry, We think Nemfor Alfred deserves a place in our 40 under 40 achievers list.

Nemfor Alfred,

Pace Setter in Cameroon's Fashion Industry

FASHION A young and enterprising Cameroonian who has carved his niche in fashion, design and branding.

The CEO of Amah Fashion house stands out tall in his ability to produce innovative designs that match with contemporary fashion styles. No wonder he is highly solicited by artists and other event organisers to give them a touch of colour and aesthetics.

Amah's design was recently on display when he took over Nabil “Nabstar” Fongod‘s “This Is Africa TIA” music video shoot in 2016, displaying his mastery of African designs.

His works have caught the eye and he was on hand to receive the prize for the Young Designer of the Year Special Award at the FIAFA 2017.

Valerie Ayena,

Made of Confidence The first ever Cameroonian to participate in the Miss World beauty contest, Valerie Ayena is a very prominent and elegant model.

Brought to the fore in 2013 by her agent, she quickly had a meteoric rise by winning the 2013 edition of Miss Cameroon before going international. In 2014, she was selected as the brand ambassador of the "Made In Black" campaign.

In addition to her work as an international model, the holder of a degree in communications has her own Events Management firm, DAV Holdings which, she manages from Dubai where she resides permanently for professional reasons.

Beyond modelling, ,Valerie phas a heart of gold and has,been reaching out to society to give back through her association "1000 Women" aimed at emancipating the African woman and empowering the youths.

She is equally a brand ambassador for the One Child One Smile foundation that advocates for the education of orphans.

Amah Bertrand,

A Touch of Fashion

The popular fashion brand’s founder and Creative Director has hinted to all Amahnians that 2018 could see him come up with one of the biggest production houses. Let's wait and see!

ENTERTAINMENT With a smooth silky hypnotic voice coupled with sublime rap skills Tohnain Anthony Nguo aka Magasco takes Cameroon urban music to another level with his style.

With a collection of singles and EPs to his name, the Bamenda boy has kept his reputation surging and since his hit song "Wule Bang Bang".

From when he appeared for his first public appearance called Positive Vibrations back in 1999 till date, he keeps rising above challenges.

No doubt he has been up for several awards both on the national and internatiomnal scene. He has been a recipient of the "Best Northwest Urban Artist" on the Red Feather Awards and also won the “Bafani Awards� in the category of Revolutionary Artist in Bamenda. His Raw Gold album won the best EP/Mixtape at the Urban Jamz Award in 2016. He has been nominated in several awards oln the national and international scene.

Magasco

The Jewelry in Urban Music

Achille Brice

at the peak of his Lifepoint A Cameroonian film-maker, Achille Brice is best known for his post-production works. The 33-year old who first carved himself a career in as a recording Artist (Soul, Jazz & Rhythm and Blues) has made today made great strides in cinema thanks to his talent and hard work. The multi-talented Buea-based filmmaker has been editor of over 10 feature films, 10 Short Films, 5 music videos and over 8 cooperate TV Commercials. His passion for cinema has given him a ride to South Africa where he received formal training as a post-production person at the Durban talent campus, in Germany at the Berlin Talent Campus and at the Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart where he had an Artistic residency grant.

After working and collaborating in several productions, Achille hit the heights in 2016 with his first directorial debut for a feature film LIFEPOINT which has received high praise at the Ecrans Noirs in Cameroon and Fespaco in Burkina Faso. Such is the success of Lifepoint that it has received raved reviews from national and international media amongst which RFI. Achille Brice has also directed 2 short films: I.C.U & FAKEH. He Co-produced & Co-Directed BELEH & ALMA with another upcoming Cameroonian female filmmaker (Christa Eka A.) and worked on projects in Cameroon, Nigeria, South Africa, UK and Germany among others.

ENTERTAINMENT The common identity of most videos in Cameroon today is the inscription Na Mysta Adrenaline Directam. Obenson Christopher has captured the entertainment industry in his hands with his creative videos. The prolific video director is a dream for every serious artist today and this can be reflected in the number of videos he has directed.

Syndy Emade,

the Shining light of the Cameroon Film Industry

Syndy Emade is described by her peers as the most successful Cameroonian female producer and actress.

The energy she mobilizes to ensure the growth of Cameroon’s Film Industry warrants her all the showers of praise.

Weekends have become interesting as everybody has got A Man For the Weekend thanks to Syndy Emade. Her latest movie is a crowd puller and is beating record of views at a faster pace.

Through her Blue Rain entertainment, she has produced movies like, “Different kind of men”, “Rose On The Grave”, “Rumble”, and “Bad Angel”.

She made debut her international career in Nigeria film industry Nollywood in 2016, in the movie “Why i hate sunshine”.

“If you must have something you’ve never had before, you must do something you’ve never done before,” Syndy says.

She recently became Ambassador of InstaVoice Celeb, a mobile app which makes it possible for Fans and celebrities to interact and engage with each other.

The app is fast growing and can now boast of at least 100 million users across Africa.

She was listed as the second most active Cameroonian actress by the online movie streaming channel Njoka TV while she also won the 2017 Scoos academy award for the best actress in Cameroon. Also amongst her prizes is the 2014 edition Cameroon miss heritage award.

Obenson Christopher Bissong,

Cameroon's Adrenaline in Video Production The "Adrenaline Visual Effects Studio" is purely born from his ingenuity and she has horned his skills by practising until he is the boss in the game today.

When "Watch Me" by Mel Cube, the first offical video directed by Adrenaline dropped on local television in 2008, it was evident the Buea-based video director was going to be a phenomenom in his field.

Almost a decade later, his works are streaming all over local, national and international in successive seconds.

Unique and creative in his style, we hope he will secrete more adrenaline to his upcoming videos to send a chill down our spines.

ENTERTAINMENT

Salatiel Sala'a,

The All Round Artist He is just the perfect example of a modern day artist. Song writer, singer, beat maker, producer, and the list continues, you won't find an all round artist better than Salatiel Livenja Bessong even if you paid "Fap Kolo".

The artist who has carefully learnt his trade down the years is today hitting the airwaves with music that breaks bounds and transcends the soul. He would light up a hall with electric music like "Ca se passe Ici" and at the same time turn around and refresh your soul wilth cool music like "Toi et Moi".

The CEO of Alpha Better records is a production wizard and has produced countless beats for several artists. He has produced about 100 albums, more than 3000 songs for more than 300 artists. Artists like Nar6 Pryze, C’est Rouler and Replay by Petit Champion, Boom Boom by One Rocky, Patrick Mboma’s anniversary theme song “Magic Mboma” (Annie Anzouer, Sergeo Polo, Manu Dibango and Henry Njoh)etc. His label is the most attractive in recent times recent times and boasts big names in the music industry like Mr. Leo, Blaise B, and Askia.

Salatiel has shared a stage on several occasions with international artists like Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage Skales, Yemi Alade, Stanley Enow, Daphne, Magasco. The awards also keep flowing for him and with a glittering career still well stationed ahead of him, he could well reign supreme on the musical scene.

Nkeng Stephens, the Video Doctor

He is a game changer in the Cameroon entertainment industry. He has been a major player in the urban music genre ruling the entertainment industry in Cameroon with his mind blowing videos.

Be it "Bougez là-bas " by Salatiel, Maahlox and Myra or "Better Boy Friend Remix" by Ambe and Daphne, Dr. Nkeng has a touch of class in the videos that creates a visual attraction to the public.

Very discrete on social media and other platforms, the film director, film producer, film editor and manager lets his videos do the talking for him.

Coolkid, Salatiel, Mr Leo, Daphne, Michael Kiessou, Dareal, X Maleya just to name these few have all been arrested by Dr. Nkengs mastery in professionalism in video production.

His storyboards are always unique as most artists will tell you; he lays emphasis on creativity and productivity.

ENTERTAINMENT The dynamic, young and enterprising lady has demonstrated her prowress in the field of media and entertainment for the past decade. She is one of the brains behind Pulse TV in Lagos, Nigeria where she served as celebrity editor and has worked on many media projects in Nigeria.

With her vast experience creating and hosting several entertainment shows in Nigeria, she has exported them to Cameroon where she has slotted seamlessly.

Among several of her projects created are Wrap-up (E Erap-up), the first urban entertainment TV show on Biscon World Television and Decoded TV which she founded in 2014.

She was a recipient of the Bonteh Media award for the 2017 Best English Blogger in Cameroon.

Her vast experience in the entertainment industry means she advises most of heer peers to take wise decisions before embarking on any project.

Joan Ngomba,

Decoding the Pulse

Pamela Happi,

Another Dimension to Infotainment She has produced one of the biggest and most watched TV show in the country styled after her name; The Miss P Show was inspired by her passion for infotainment and a desire to produce a dynamic show that sets new standards.

Her unique and professional touch makes her stand out and that is evident with the quality of her design on set.

A convenient space, a home feeling environment, gentle, all smooth and trendy to welcome guests and participants in the show.

The show has set focus on promoting a youth culture where the young can serve as role models and game changers in their communities by indulging in various walks of life be it fashion, health, music, entertainment, celebrity.

She has hosted several prominent figures on her show who inspire positive change to the youths. Musicians, footballers, entrepreneurs and businessmen have all shared been on her show to oshare their experiences and inspire youths on becoming a self starter and role model to the society.

SOCIETY AND HUMANITARIAN CAUSES

Jean Marc Afesi Mbafor, Born leader and Entrepreneur

He is most renowned as the President of the national youth council, a position he occupies since 2013 but Jean Marc Afesi Mbafor is just more than that.

A holder of a Higher Diploma in Business Administration from Thames Business School in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2009, he is an experienced entrepreneur who learnt his trade while studying in Nigeria. He gained professional experience as personal assistant to the Chief Executive Officer of Mobiduff Nigeria Ltd. He later on set up a translation firm in Lagos before returning to Cameroon in 2009 where he created the Mustard Seed association, to help youths and Cameroonians as a whole, play their role in the development of Cameroon.

He is also the founder of Eshcol Housing and Mortgage Cooperation and has used his company to employ over a dozen youths and to create a robust internship program that has benefited over 30 youths.

A 2014 recipient of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Jean Marc was early this year appointed by the Head of State as a member of the National commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and multiculturalism.

With his strong background in entrepreneurship and social activism, and drive to impact the youths and drive positive change, Jean Marc is worthy of a place in our 40 under 40 achievers in Cameroon.

A fine and cultured journalist, Malla Tabot has established herself as one of the staunch advocates for women’s rights in Cameroon.

Despite her fine journalistic skills that saw her work for Cameroon’s national broadcaster, the CRTV, Mallah Tabot has dedicated her time in empowering young girls in her community through the United Vision Organisation which she is the founder.

With United Vision, she has trained many young girls in Cameroon with whom they have carried out several advocacy campaigns to fight against early marriages, empower young women as well as fight against HIV AIDS and STIs. She has offered several trainings to young girls in Mamfe and other rural communities on promoting gender equality through education.Her works have not gone unnoticed as she was honored with the Queen’s Young Leaders Award in 2015, a prize she received from the hands of Queen Elizabeth in 2015.

Mallah Enow Tabot,

The Brain behind Ndolo 360 She is the founder of Ndolo 360, an App that provides information and empowers ypung ladies on reproductive health Despite her advocacy work, she still keeps the passion for journalism and blogs for MTV.

SOCIETY AND HUMANITARIAN CAUSES She is a passionate and hardworking woman who has devoted her career to empower young girls and women and protect vulnerable children from the claws of society.

Through her association CLEWO- Cameroon Leading Women Organisation created in 2014, Maureen has been building skills, skills, inspiring confidence to change the lives of women in their families and communities.

Because young girls are the future mothers in Cameroon, CLEWO has taken up the challenge to run character change programmes on responsible sexual habits, HIV/AIDS, menstrual hygiene management, family planning and gender equality amongst others.

Bringing happiness to children, CLEWO was very active in the first ever celebrations of the international day of happiness in Cameroon in 2015, with an onlinhe campaign to sensitise the public on the importance of being happy for a healthy living.

Her drive to empower women in their careers and financial autonomy took another dimension in 2017 by organising the first-ever women in entrepreneurship dialogue . This brought together women from various walks of life to share their experiences and inspire young girls.

For her devotion to give every woman a chance, we think she deserves a place in our 40 under 40 achievers' list.

Njomoh Maureen,

Amplifying the Voices of Women

Anne Marie Befoune,

Giving a Voice to Citizen Action A citizen activist , Anne Marie's passion for citizen actions is boundless.

A Translator by training and profession, she has put her writing skills at the service of her society through citizen media Elle Citoyenne.

Elle Citoyenne is the lense through which the common citizens see themselves and their contribution to the development of their society.

Civic participation and responsibility is the right of every citizen in a society, unfortunately most of them do not make use of their rights. This is why Anne Marie set up her platform to discuss several ways of civic participation and eradicating ignorance amongst citizens in our communities.

E.C which brings together contributors and a huge following across the continent treats subjects like the citizen's actions and responsibilities in the face of hygiene and sanitation in our cities, corruption, climate change, academics, alcoholism etc...

Because we know and defend our rights, it's difficult to be trespassed on, but if we remain ignorant and complacent, we will always place the blame on the government.

Her passion to help citizens get back their voices was rewarded earlier this year with a grant from the French Agency for media coorperation to assist her project "Tout en deux minutes".

It's a project where citizen's can share their societal experience/projects in a two-minute amateur video shot with their phones, describing their motives and how beneficial it is to the society.

Anne Marie is a new and rare breed of activitist who first wants citizens to to be responsible for their actions before pointing fingers at others.

For empowering citizens through her various projuects and actions, we think Anne Marie Befoune is worthy to be high up in our 40 under 40 achievers of the year.

SOCIETY AND HUMANITARIAN CAUSES

Julie Frankline Cheugeu,

A Beauty Queen with a Kind Heart A humanitarian with a great heart, Julie Frankline Cheugeu has devoted her time to comfort and put a smile on the faces of children who have lost their parents as a result of war.

This was possible through funds from her organisation specialised in the recycling of waste objects. She also mobilised personal funds worth about 200.000 FCFA to kick start her project.

"SOYONS LE CHANGEMENT", a movement created by the beauty queen seeks to encourage the youths to take initiatives.

"Don't wait for change, be the change you want," Julie says.

The association has paid a visit to Kolofata where they have consoled and brought assistance to the local population affected by the Boko Haram insurgency in the North of Cameroon. Earlier tlhis year, her association led a campaign to sensitise women and the population on cancer and how to prevent it.

Julie's determination has earned her support within and out of the country which she uses as a motivating factor ,to keep forging with her projects.

For her service to humanity, the 25-year old deserves a place in our 40 under 40 achievers' list.

A Development, civil society activist and a youth expert on peace building, Achaleke Christian is a devoted citizen who has impacted several youths through his actions and campaigns.

In his role as national coordinator of the Local Youth Corner Cameroon, a youth-led civil society organization, he has worked hard to promote peace building as well as fight against violent extremism especially in the youths.

He is a fellow of the International Visitors Leadership Programme(IVLP) organized by the US state Department and was named Most Influential Young Person in Cameroon in 2016. He has consecutively been named among 100 Most Influential Youths in Africa for, 2016 and 2017. His advocacy for a positive youth keeps on bringing him recognition as he was he was named Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2016 and winner of the Commonwealth Youth Award for Excellence in Development Work 2016.

The Chevening Scholar equally serves as the Coordinator of the Commonwealth Peace Ambassadors Network (the largest youth peace building network with over 500 organization from across the Commonwealth).

He is today part of our 40 under 40 achievers’ list for his devoted service for peace and his impact on the lives of many youths in Cameroon through the various organizations he has served.

Achaleke Christian,

Youth Development Activist and Peace crusader