By Angu Lesley
The National Football Academy of Cameroon (ANAFOOT), created in 2014 by President Paul Biya to groom homegrown football talent and provide opportunities for players who cannot afford private academies, is set to formalize a strategic partnership with AGRI SPORT International on Tuesday, February 24, in Yaoundé.
The signing ceremony will take place under the auspices of the African Union and will be presided over by Dr Saliou Niassy, the African Union’s representative for Central Africa. Senior officials from the African Union Sports Council will also attend, alongside ANAFOOT’s General Manager, Enow Ngachu, who will sign the agreement on behalf of the academy.
The partnership aims to combine football training with agribusiness education, entrepreneurship and retraining programmes, supporting young athletes before, during, and after their sporting careers. The initiative is designed to provide players with alternative pathways for economic empowerment and sustainable livelihoods beyond football.
ANAFOOT has, over the years, extended its reach across Cameroon’s ten regions, producing talents who have featured in national teams and gone on to play for clubs abroad. The new partnership seeks to build on this success by integrating agribusiness as a strategic lever for skill development, autonomy, and financial responsibility among young athletes.
The project aligns with the African Union’s long-term development blueprint, Agenda 2063, which prioritises youth empowerment, food security, and sustainable economic growth. Academy officials describe the collaboration as a model for leveraging sport to address social challenges such as youth unemployment and innovation, while reinforcing Cameroon’s broader policy on sport and national development.
The ceremony marks the official start of what organizers describe as a landmark partnership for youth and sustainable development.
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