CAMTEL’s General Manager, Judith Yah Sunday epse Achidi has underscored the state-owned telecom giant’s resolve to be at the forefront when it comes to putting in place the infrastructure as well as some enabling conditions that propel the digitisation of Cameroon’s economy.
She was speaking at the opening ceremony of CAMTEL Business Day, on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Yaoundé. The day was themed on a digital economy being “a vector for strengthening the competitiveness of businesses in Cameroon”. To The GM, CAMTEL, through the CAMTEL Business Day, “intends to make its contribution to strengthening the role of the private sector in building national development and in particular the structural transformation of the economy, notably through the digital lever”.
Judith Yah Sunday epse Achidi at the opening ceremony, reminded stakeholders that under the Very High Patronage of the President of the Republic, H.E Paul BIYA, CAMTEL has been organising, since September 8, 2023, a series of activities linked to the celebration of its 25 years of existence in the service of the nation. She said the various activities generally aim to define strategic directions for digital development in Cameroon and to suggest options to strengthen CAMTEL’s contribution in this regard.
Stakeholders at the CAMTEL Business Day event in Yaounde
The GM mentioned the holding of the CAMTEL Digital Day; CAMTEL Digital Infrastructure Day; CAMTEL Decentralisation Day; CAMTEL Youth Day; CAMTEL Women’s Day and very recently, CAMTEL Day of Diplomacy and Sub-Regional Integration as being in line with the presidential directives.
Conforming With National Development Strategy
CAMTEL’s GM in her opening speech, told stakeholders and participants that through the National Development Strategy 2020-2030 (SND30), the Government aims to achieve the structural transformation of the Cameroonian economy by making fundamental changes in economic and social structures in order to promote endogenous and inclusive development.
To this end, she says the digitalisation process benefits from a central positioning in the SND30 and constitutes one of the strategic development sectors. “However, despite the volume of investments made as part of digital development in Cameroon, the level of use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by local populations and businesses still remains limited. Also, let me remind you that the business digitalisation process only concerns 65% of large companies, and 60% of small companies”, the GM said.
According to Judith Yah Sunday epse Achidi, Cameroon is faced with the “dual challenge of its accelerated and transformative industrialisation, and that of its insertion into the dynamics of information and communication technologies; the challenge being the neutralisation of the digital divide”.
The GM said one of the strategic options retained is to build the structural transformation of the national economy by giving a priority and central role to the private sector. This, she said will be done through technological catch-up and development; encouraging business development and protecting the national economic space. She furthered, saying given the sectoral priorities defined within the framework of Cameroon’s development, SND30 envisages the reform of the system of incentives for business development intending to concentrate public resources as a priority for the acceleration of industrialisation.
Speaking to the media, Christian Etoundi Ngaba, CAMTEL’s Director of the Business Unit Fix, explained the objectives of CAMTEL in line with their 25th anniversary. He said CAMTEL has among other things, a great objective which is the promotion of the business digitalisation process, so as to reinforce the competitiveness of enterprises in Cameroon. He said they also want to analyse the impact of digitalisation in the development of enterprises and to also look into the lapses that hinder the development of digitalisation in the various enterprises.
Stakeholders in a group photo after the launch of CAMTEL Business Day activities in Yaoundé
On his part, Hermann Fotie II, Permanent Secretary, Competitiveness Committee said CAMTEL still has much work to do with regards to technology and innovation. He also encouraged companies to adopt digital technologies so as to meet up with their productivity and also be able to compete with other foreign companies. So Camtel is there to help those companies to get digital technologies and to also reduce their costs if production.
While stating that CAMTEL still has a lot to do to get Cameroonian companies to embrace the digitisation process and be competitive enough, Hermann Fotie II urged that companies to look for opportunities and partnerships with Cameroon’s partners like the EU for example, and to use such opportunities well when they present themselves, to become better and competitive.
By Andrew Nsoseka
