Efforts to strengthen elite sports while promoting youth entrepreneurship have received a major boost following the signing of a partnership between the African Lions Championship Federation and the Chamber of European Experts for Trade and Industry -CEECI-UE.
The agreement, signed on Friday, August 21, comes ahead of the second edition of the African Lions Championship, an international boxing tournament scheduled to take place in Douala from November 19 to 22, 2026. Speaking during the signing ceremony, the President of the African Lions Championship, Mouhamadou Lamine Yaro, described the partnership as a turning point in efforts to improve sports development and support young athletes in Cameroon. “We have been struggling with sports development for a long time. We want sustainable mechanisms to keep sports alive and provide better opportunities for young Cameroonian athletes” Mouhamadou Lamine Yaro, emphasised.
He said the partnership with CEECI-UE would provide the structure and resources needed to support athletes and local entrepreneurs, adding that the first concrete results of the agreement would be visible during the November championship.
On her part, CEECI-UE Central Africa Representative Ngo Makele Elisabeth Liliane said the partnership was in line with the organisation’s mission of promoting local enterprise, cultural heritage and international business networking. According to her, CEECI-UE serves as a strategic networking and lobbying platform connecting private-sector stakeholders and creating opportunities for businesses to access international support.
The November tournament is expected to combine high-level sporting competition with initiatives aimed at promoting entrepreneurship. Combat sports athletes from Cameroon, France, Morocco, Nigeria and the Republic of Guinea will participate in the championship. The participation of Guinea is also intended to pay tribute to five-time Kickboxing World Champion Mamadou Axel, recognised for his contribution to the development of combat sports across West Africa.
The second edition of the African Lions Championship will be held under the theme “Women of Impact: Undertaking, Innovating, and Building the Cameroon and Africa of Tomorrow,” the event will place particular emphasis on grassroots entrepreneurship.
As part of the initiative, investment funds linked to the partnership will provide immediate financial support of up to FCFA 250,000 each to ten local projects. Selected mature projects will also benefit from continued mentorship and opportunities for future funding.
The initiative is thus expected to use sport not only as a platform for talent development, but also as a catalyst for entrepreneurship, investment and youth empowerment in Cameroon and beyond.
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