The official line on Import-substitution (IS) and the promotion of made-in-Cameroon are prominent in all documents and official speeches about Cameroon’s economic policy since the NDS30 was launched in 2020. We have heard a lot about the national development strategy. But, when it comes to action and assessment of results, pages are more or less blank.
In fact, this approach, which aims to limit dependence on the import of goods and services by encouraging local production, can significantly drive economic growth, create jobs and enable the country to achieve the sustainable development goals of Agenda 2030 to which Cameroon has subscribed, alongside 192 member states, since 2015.
In reality, concrete and dedicated actions seem to focus on (physical) goods when it comes to promoting made-in Cameroon at home or for export. Yet, the trade balance is technically made up of two parts: the balance of goods and the balance of services. In the era of digital and tertiary economy, Cameroon’s national IS policy should, in our humble opinion, be scrutinized and examined in the light of this dialectic analysis between Goods and Services.
TO READ MORE DOWNLOAD A POLICY BRIEF
Last modified: 6 janvier 2025
