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Legal and Policy Frameworks

Cameroon has adopted the following legal frameworks, strategies, and vision documents related to social innovation:

Social Entrepreneurship
Social Innovation
Social Businesses
Social [and Solidarity] Economy
Impact Economy
Welfare sector
Community based
led organizations
SDG

Current stage of implementation:

Stage1: Impact Economy | Stage2: SDG | Stage3: SDG | Stage4: SDG | Stage5: SDG

with:

Stage1: “No Policy or Recognition: No formal recognition, discussion, or policy exists. The sector operates informally or without government involvement.”;
Stage2: “Initial Discussions & Awareness: The government acknowledges the sector and has started discussions or consultations, but no formal policy framework or regulation exists.”;
Stage3: “Draft Policy or Framework in Development: A draft policy, strategy, or regulatory framework is currently being developed. The government may be conducting research, stakeholder consultations, or legislative drafting.”;
Stage4: “Pilot Programs or Limited Implementation: Some initiatives, pilot projects, or partial government-backed programs exist, but full implementation has not yet been achieved. Policies may be tested in select regions or for specific groups.”;
Stage5: “Policy Adopted but Not Fully Implemented: A formal law, policy, or regulation has been passed, but it has not been fully implemented, enforced, or funded. Gaps in execution may still exist.”;
Stage6: “Policy in Effect & Actively Implemented: The policy is fully enacted and actively being implemented. There is clear government support, funding, and enforcement mechanisms in place.”;
Stage7: “Policy Reviewed & Strengthened: The existing policy has been evaluated and improved over time based on feedback, data, or evolving needs. New funding, incentives, or structural reforms may have been introduced.”; and
Stage8: “Leading in Policy Innovation: The country is recognized as a leader in this policy area, with best practices, strong regulatory frameworks, and incentives that actively promote and support the sector.”

More details:

Social entrepreneurship hard file exist
The website of the Ministry of Economic provides the details from the ‘filet sociaux’ project
The website of the Ministry of social affairs provides more details
See the website of the Ministry of labour
the website of the Ministry of economic provides details

Ecosystem Actors

Key Actors in the Ecosystem

The leading actors driving social innovation in Cameroon include government ministries, social enterprises, NGOs, philanthropic institutions, academia, and other ecosystem builders.

Education and Capacity Building

Formal and informal education programs that support social innovation exist in the following forms in Cameroon:

Government-supported training programs:“ The government has launched or funded capacity-building programs, incubators, or skill-development initiatives to support social innovation
Private sector or NGO-led programs:“ Non-governmental organizations, incubators, or private sector actors actively run training, mentorship, or acceleration programs for social innovation.

Coordinating Bodies

A centralized body responsible for coordinating social innovation efforts across sectors exists in Cameroon.

Ecosystem Communication

The level of communication and coordination among key actors in Cameroon’s social innovation ecosystem is currently Moderate: “some collaboration, but existing gaps in coordination"

Support Mechanisms for Policy and Finance

Policy Incentives and Support Mechanisms

To support social innovation, Cameroon has implemented the following incentives and mechanisms:

Zakat schemes or other religious-based schemes,
Government-backed funding programs (e.g., grants, subsidies, social impact funds),
Social security measures for social businesses,
Environmental levies

Financing Mechanisms

Social innovation in Cameroon is financed through a variety of mechanisms including:

Public subsidy and grants,Public investment funds (e.g., dedicated social impact fund)

Impact

Flagship Programs and Achievements

Notable achievements and flagship programs in social innovation in Cameroon include:
Programme d’appui aux acteurs du secteur informel et le projet des filets sociaux

International Collaborations

Tech for Good Innovations

Impact Measurement Frameworks

Cameroon does not have a formal framework or methodology for measuring social innovation impact.

Economic Contribution of Social Innovation

Reports on Social Impact

Policy Momentum

Momentum for social innovation as a public policy issue in Cameroon is currently rated as:

Some Momentum: There is growing awareness and initial efforts in public policy, but implementation remains limited or fragmented.

Barriers to Growth

The following barriers are currently hindering the growth of social innovation in Cameroon:

Lack of sustainable funding model,
Difficulty in measuring and demonstrating impact,
Limited access to skilled professionals in the sector

Collaborative Ideas

Proposals from Cameroon for potential collaborative initiatives with other GCSI members include:

Request the Partnership between The Cameroon Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training with Luxembourg Agency for Cooperation to implement the Mechanism of Post-Training following as put in place in various countries as Senegal

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