One of the major challenges facing Cameroonian industry is access to cutting-edge skills in certain specialized sectors. Law n° 2025/010 of July 15, 2025, provides a structured response to this issue through Article 11, transforming a technical constraint into an opportunity for local development.

Obligation for technology transfer

According to Article 11, Paragraph 1, when a subcontracting service requires a level of expertise that is not available nationally, the main contractor is not simply authorized to import this skill. They are obligated to ensure, in conjunction with the Authority in charge of subcontracting (MINPMEESA), the transfer of technology.

This transfer must be implemented through three main levers:

• Recruiting national human resources to work along side foreign experts.
• Involving national companies operating in the same or related sectors.
• Targeted training of local stakeholders to bridge the expertise gap in the medium term.

Upgrading and continuous training

The legislator goes further in Paragraph 2 by imposing active responsibility on main contractors. They must:

• Ensure the upgrading and continuous training of locally recruited personnel to guarantee a real increase in skills.
• Collaborate with competent administrations and structures to implement innovative training programs for nationals in the relevant sector of activity.

Why is this a breakthrough for SMEs?

This legal provision prevents high-value added sectors from remaining enclaves closed to local skills. For SMEs, it is a legal guarantee to:

• Access complex know-how through mandatory partnerships.
• Benefit from upgrading programs funded or organized by major contractors.
• Prepare the country's technological autonomy in strategic sectors such as digital, energy, or mining.