LABOUR MARKET KEY STATISTICS

Informal enterprises – agricultural (34.6%) and non-agricultural (52%) - provide (86.6% of overall employment. Most employment is generated by the Primary (35.2%) and Services (32.7%) sectors, followed by Industry (17.5%) and Trade (14.6%). Out of 17 million people of working age, Cameroon has 600,000 unemployed. Source: 3rd Survey on Employment and Informal Sector (EESI3), August, 2022, INS.

Number of public agents employed by the State end of March, 2023: 376,497. Source: Ministry of Public Service.

Number of employees in the formal private sector in 2018: 635,969; among them 459,552 in SME's. (Source: 2nd Enterprises General Survey).

Number of job-seeking graduates entering the labour market each year: about 150,000.

For a position to be filled, a Cameroonian SME or SMI receives on average 200 to 500 applications. These are even higher for large companies or subsidiaries of multinationals or for recruitment to the Public service.

10 largest private sector employers by number of permanent employees: 1. CDC (18,989) ; 2. Société des Plantations du Haut-Penja, PHP (6,000) ; 3. HEVECAM (4,908) ; 4. ENEO (3,700) ; 5. SABC (3,082) ; 6. SOCAPALM (2,244) ; 7. SODECOTON (2,000) ; 8. CONGELCAM (2,000 env.) ; 9. Guinness Cameroun S.A. (1,900 approx.) ; 10. Groupe Fotso Victor (1 850 ca.);

10 best performing companies in 2021, turnover in billions of CFAF : 1. SNH (788,3) ; 2. ENEO (394,5) ; 3. SABC (362,9) ; 4. Tradex (350) ; 5. MTN (282,3) ; 6. Orange (250,2) ; 7. FEICOM (243,7) ; 8. CNPS (242,6) ; 9. SODECOTON (171) ; 10. DANGOTE Cement Cameroon (92,5). Source: Ranking of the top 500 African companies, Jeune Afrique, April 2022.

Personal networks are essential for finding a job

Sectors offering the most job opportunities :─ Farming and Livestock; ─ ICT and Digital Economy; ─ Building and Public works; ─ Transport and Logistic; ─ Banking and Insurance.