Cameroon’s President Paul Biya signed last December 6 a decree empowering the Minister of Economy to submit a loan request to the International Development Association (IDA).

As part of this loan deal, the Cameroonian government is seeking €84.1 million (about CFA55.16 billion) to finance the Project for Accelerating Digital Transformation in Cameroon (Patnuc). According to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (Minpostel), this project was launched in 2021 to pursue reforms and policies in the ICT sector; improve the digital skills of citizens; promote the development of digital applications and services and increase the reach and use of digital services to stimulate employment and entrepreneurship in the country.

The Patnuc project has three main components. The first is the establishment of new institutional, legal and regulatory frameworks conducive to the growth of the digital sector, the strengthening of digital trust, the creation of digital platforms and the acquisition of relevant equipment for a secure and resilient development of digital services in Cameroon.

The second component focuses on stimulating the local market by facilitating Internet access and the inclusive use of ICTs in the country’s economic development fabric. “Its specific objective is to promote the expansion of digital networks in rural areas and underserved localities, mainly through public-private partnerships (PPPs), to improve the supply of mobile broadband service in these localities,” explains Minpostel.

The third component focuses on strengthening disruptive agricultural technologies (DAT) to improve market linkages and value addition through increased use of DAT solutions by targeted rural communities.

Source: Business in Cameroon