Entrepreneurship in Africa is growing, thanks to local initiatives and support from specialized financial institutions. In this interview, Barnabé Kokoué from Cameroon, shares his journey, from building his energy solutions company from scratch to receiving critical support from Advans Cameroun, a leading player in microfinance in Africa, which enabled him to launch and expand his innovative projects.

“I am Barnabé Kokoué. I am an entrepreneur working with a team, and we provide electrical installation solutions and energy supplies. Everyone needs energy, so for me, serving as many people as possible is a true passion. People need quality equipment, but at that time, it was hard to find any on the market.
That’s why many were buying second-hand materials from Europe at exorbitant prices. I told myself: “Here is a niche market, people deserve better”. I started from scratch. It tooks almost two years of patience for the business to take shape.
The first challenge was financial. And when I found this location, Advans was the organisation that trusted me by giving me some funding. And I think that, as of today, we have multiplied that by ten, even by twenty, and it’s thanks to Advans.
My biggest dream is to have products under my own brand. That is my ultimate goal and my most ambitious project. Supporting SMEs, automatically boosts a country’s economy, because real economy growth comes from SMEs, not large corporations.
Africa is not yet fully built. And to build a country, a continent, the very first thing we need is energy.”

Barnabé Kokoué’s story demonstrates how access to SME financing in Africa can transform an idea into a successful business. With the right support from financial institutions like Advans Cameroun, entrepreneurs can grow their ventures, create jobs, and contribute to sustainable economic and energy development across the continent.

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