Cameroon Opens Trade Expo Indonesia 2026 Opportunity to SMEs

The Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts, MINPMEESA, has invited Cameroonian businesses to participate in Trade Expo Indonesia 2026, which will bring international buyers together with Indonesian exporters and suppliers. The 41st edition of the trade fair will run from October 14 to 18 at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition in Tangerang, near Jakarta.

In an announcement signed on August 31, MINPMEESA said the invitation targets SME promoters, professional associations and corporations interested in exploring business opportunities in Indonesia. The ministry encouraged economic operators to register through the official Trade Expo Indonesia platform or contact the Economic Function of the Indonesian Embassy in Yaounde.

Organized by Indonesia’s Ministry of Trade, the annual event brings together exporters, importers, manufacturers, investors and trade institutions. Its program includes exhibitions, business-matching sessions, trade missions, seminars and meetings between official delegations and companies. The 2026 exhibition will cover five product zones: food, beverages and agriculture; manufactured goods; industrial estates; fashion and crafts; and furniture and home decor.

Cameroon’s exports dominated by cocoa and timber

The invitation comes as Cameroon and Indonesia seek to broaden economic relations beyond the existing exchange of raw materials and manufactured products. Trade data compiled by the Observatory of Economic Complexity show that Cameroon exported goods worth $27.3 million to Indonesia in 2024. Cocoa beans accounted for $21.6 million, while sawn wood generated $4.3 million. These two products represented most of Cameroon’s recorded exports to the Asian country during the year.

The figures point to a bilateral export structure concentrated on a limited number of primary commodities. Participation in the expo gives Cameroonian companies access to business meetings covering processed food, handicrafts, furniture, agricultural products and manufacturing partnerships.

Indonesia, meanwhile, supplies Cameroon with products including iron and steel, vegetable oils, paper goods and other manufactured items. The expo may also give Cameroonian importers an opportunity to identify Indonesian suppliers and establish direct commercial contacts.

Because of its scale, the fair also offers businesses the opportunity to connect with partners from markets beyond Indonesia. According to the official Trade Expo Indonesia platform, the 2025 edition attracted 1,619 exhibitors, 34,550 visitors and 8,045 international buyers from more than 130 countries. Organizers reported transactions valued at more than $22.8 billion.

About 30 Cameroonian businesspeople participated in the 2025 edition, according to the Indonesian Embassy in Yaounde. Their participation resulted in $1.2 million in realized agricultural transactions and five memorandums of understanding in agriculture, fisheries and services with a potential value of $18.3 million.

Indonesian Ambassador to Cameroon Agung Cahaya Sumirat also promoted Trade Expo Indonesia 2026 during an August 11 meeting with Cameroonian government officials, local authorities and business representatives. He presented the event as an opportunity for Cameroonian companies to expand their business networks and learn more about Indonesian industries.

Mercy Fosoh