Founded in February 2020, the Think-Do Tank The Okwelians celebrates its fifth anniversary by launching a new initiative: its first economic summit, The Okwelians Summit, scheduled to take place on March 19, 20, and 21, 2025, in Yaoundé.
This groundbreaking event will bring together 150 decision-makers from public, private, national, and international spheres to catalyze initiatives for Cameroon’s sustainable transformation.
Under the theme “Cameroon 2035: At the Crossroads of Sustainable Transformation,” this inaugural edition aims to define concrete pathways for the structural transformation of Cameroon’s economy. The goal is clear: identify high-potential sectors, foster synergies among key stakeholders, and initiate structuring projects aligned with the National Development Strategy (SND30).
Key moments of the event include an opening day dedicated to workshops on social innovation and community development, B2B meetings, and a startup competition. The following two days will feature plenary sessions, expert panels, and thematic workshops. Each participant will be actively engaged in shaping a collective roadmap for Cameroon’s economic future.
This summit positions itself as a unique platform offering participants the opportunity to explore promising investments in key sectors and launch impactful initiatives and projects for Cameroon’s future. Acting as an accelerator, it will foster strategic dialogues and establish concrete recommendations for the next decade, to be compiled in a Green Book.
“This first edition of our economic summit marks a new milestone in our ambition to contribute to Cameroon’s sustainable transformation. The urgency of accelerating the structural transformation of the Cameroonian economy calls for public and private actors, both national and international, to co-develop innovative solutions, forge winning synergies, and initiate high-impact projects—thus laying the foundations for lasting prosperity in our country and the Central African sub-region,” states Jacques Jonathan NYEMB, corporate lawyer, co-founder, and President of The Okwelians Think-Do Tank.
Organizer
The Okwelians is a Cameroonian Think-Do Tank dedicated to promoting responsible leadership and inclusive governance in Africa. Drawing on research, training, and the incubation of high-impact projects, this multidisciplinary organization brings together stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to tackle Cameroon’s socio-economic and political challenges. Through studies, conferences, and workshops, The Okwelians fosters constructive dialogue between policymakers, entrepreneurs, and civil society to develop sustainable and innovative solutions. The organization emphasizes ethics, collaboration, and excellence to build skills and initiatives focused on the common good while encouraging youth leadership. Its “think-do” approach combines strategic thinking with concrete action.
