Create your profile
Choose your profile type, describe your organisation, your sectors (up to 3), what you offer and what you seek, your target markets and the days you are available.
Approval by the IPA
Profiles are reviewed – usually within 1–2 working days. You can log in and complete your profile while you wait.
Discover & request
Open “Find partners”: participants are ranked by compatibility. Pick a time slot that is free for both of you and send a short message.
Meet & follow up
When accepted, a table is reserved. After the meeting, record the outcome in one click to help us measure the forum’s impact.
Meeting rules
| Meeting length | 20 minutes, with 5 minutes between meetings |
|---|---|
| Meeting days | Wednesday 18 (afternoon), Thursday 19 and Friday 20 November 2026 – Yaoundé time (WAT, UTC+1) |
| Location | B2B meeting area (60 tables) and 5 sector deal rooms, Yaoundé Conference Centre |
| Limits | Up to 8 meetings per day and 15 confirmed meetings per participant |
| Replies | Requests expire after 48 hours without reply. The invitee can accept, decline or propose another time |
| Confidentiality | Email and phone are only visible to the other participant once a meeting is confirmed |
Frequently asked questions
Is Business Connect free?
Yes. Business Connect is free for all participants of CIF 2026. Passes to attend the forum (Standard, VIP, Delegation, Corporate) are sold on cif.cm.
Do I need a CIF 2026 pass to register?
You can create your profile right away and indicate your pass type and reference if you already have one. Meetings take place inside the forum venue, so you will need a valid badge to attend them.
Why must my profile be approved?
The IPA team checks each profile to ensure participants are genuine and relevant, and to protect everyone from spam. Until approval, you can edit your profile but not browse participants or request meetings.
How are matches calculated?
Each participant receives a 0–100 score based on the complementarity between what you seek and what they offer (and vice versa), shared sectors, the fit between profile types (for example investor and project promoter), investment ticket versus funding need, target markets, common languages and shared interest in CIF activities. The reasons are displayed on every profile.
What happens when a meeting is accepted?
Both participants are reserved for that slot and a table (or a deal-room desk for project meetings) is assigned automatically. You receive an email, and the meeting appears in your agenda with a calendar file (.ics).
Can I change or cancel a meeting?
Yes. Before accepting, the invitee can propose another time. A confirmed meeting can be cancelled from the meeting page; the other participant is notified and the slot becomes free again. Please cancel as early as possible.
I am a project promoter. How do I reach investors?
Submit your project from the “Projects” section once registered. Approved investors can browse projects and request deal-room meetings with you. You can also request meetings yourself and link them to your project.
Can the organisers arrange meetings for me?
Yes. The Business Connect team can arrange meetings between participants, particularly for official delegations and VIP guests. You will be notified by email and the meeting will appear in your agenda.
Which languages can I use?
The platform is fully bilingual (English and French). Indicate the languages you can hold a meeting in: matches without a common language are ranked lower and flagged.
Who can I contact for help?
Write to info@cif.cm or use the contact form. Business meetings desk: +237 677 555 471 · +237 679 610 875 · +237 672 305 222.
Ready to start?
Registration takes about five minutes.
