Douala, 18 March 2024 – MTN Foundation, Cameroon’s first corporate foundation, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) sealed a historic partnership on 18 March 2024 at MTN Cameroon’s head office by signing a memorandum of understanding aimed at promoting technological innovation and accelerating Cameroon’s digital transformation.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by the CEO of MTN Cameroon, Mitwa Ng’ambi and UNDP’s Resident Representative in Cameroon, Aissata De, in the presence of MTN Group’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, Nompilo Morafo, CEO of MTN Cameroon, and UNDP’s Deputy Resident Representative, Martin Hart-Hansen, and experts from both institutions.

This partnership will be concretized by the construction of an ultra-modern digital hub. A true centre of excellence, the facility will provide state-of-the-art work and collaboration spaces for young Cameroonian entrepreneurs, students and job seekers, with a special focus on women.

The digital hub will offer a full range of services and infrastructure, notably:

• Intensive training and practical workshops on the latest digital technologies
• A coworking space equipped to encourage innovation and collaboration
• A research and development space dedicated to exploring and testing innovative digital solutions to Cameroon’s challenges

“This partnership with UNDP is perfectly in line with our commitment to support the development of digital technology in Cameroon. To date, around 2,500 Cameroonians, including 1,800 people living with disabilities have benefited our various training programmes in the use of digital tools.

The digital hub is therefore a logical follow-up to these training courses and will be a catalyst for digital entrepreneurship, enabling Cameroon’s youth to play an active role in the country’s digital transformation,” said Mitwa Ng’ambi, CEO of MTN Cameroon.

“The Digital Innovation Hub that we want to set up with MTN in Douala is in line with our vision to create an enabling environment for young people and women to unleash their creativity and entrepreneurial potential. This Hub is not only an unprecedented driver for the emergence of champions among youths and positioning of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), but above all, is a mechanism that enables start-ups to overcome funding barriers“, said Aissata De, UNDP Resident Representative in Cameroon.

The construction of the digital hub is a major initiative that will contribute to the achievement of Cameroon’s sustainable development goals, in particular goal 9 aimed at promoting industry, innovation and infrastructure.