This is the announcement that changes the game for Cameroon's green ecosystem. From October 28 to 31, 2026 in Douala, the first International Fair for Renewable Energies in Africa (FIERA) is not just coming to exhibit solar panels – it's coming with a chequebook. Announced potential: up to FCFA 150 billion in investments up for grabs.
Far from a conventional trade show, its ambition, under the theme “Renewable Energy for Africa’s Energy Independence.” is clear: to turn renewable energy into a lever for jobs and business for the youth.
The real problem is not the idea, it's bankability
The diagnosis is shared by Dr Yaya Saïdou, Head of the Economic Observatory and Foresight Unit at the Douala City Council. Hundreds of student and young entrepreneur projects exist, but they all fail at the same hurdle: financial structuring. An investor doesn't finance a good idea, they finance a structured project – with a business plan, a return on investment, and a measurable social impact.
That is the whole stake of this edition: to transform idea-holders into start-up founders capable of speaking the language of funds.
The J+7 gamble: not stopping at the fair
The breakthrough proposed by Ludovic Dassi, General Coordinator of FIERA-Douala 2026, is here. The event is part of the national strategy to bring the share of diversified energies outside hydropower to 25%, i.e., an additional 150 MW.
Above all, it innovates with the "FIERA 2026 J+7" programme. Organizers commit to following up with selected young people seven days after the closing, until they are directly connected with financial partners. We are moving from an event-based logic to an incubator logic.
Under the patronage of the Cameroonian government, the Ministry of Water and Energy and the Douala City Council, the fair will feature exhibitions, conferences, technical workshops and, most importantly, B2B and B2G Deal Rooms.
Success will not be measured by the number of visitors. It will be measured by the number of agreements signed. If Douala manages to convert even 15% of the announced FCFA 150 billion into financed projects, then FIERA will have succeeded: making Douala the capital where watts become jobs.
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