Cameroon's Informal Economy: An Opportunity for Millions of Workers

In Cameroon, the informal economy isn't marginal — it IS the economy. Over 90% of the working population operates in the informal sector, according to the National Institute of Statistics. In Douala, the country's economic capital, this translates to millions of people earning their living every day without an employment contract, without payslips, and often without protection.

SangoServices doesn't aim to forcibly "formalize" this economy. The goal is to provide the missing tools: connection, transparency, payment and proof of work.

Cameroon's informal economy represents:

• Over 90% of total employment
• An estimated contribution of 30-40% of GDP
• Diverse sectors: trade, manual labor, cooking, transportation, errands, domestic services

These workers aren't "informal" by choice. They are because the formal system doesn't offer them a place. No recognized degree, no professional address, no network — but real skills and a willingness to work.

An informal worker in Douala faces concrete challenges:

• Finding work — Word of mouth is limited and random
• Negotiating the price — Without standard rates, every task is a negotiation
• Getting paid — Cash creates disputes and delays
• Proving experience — Without a CV or formal references, hard to stand out
• Getting there — Transport is expensive and eats into earnings

The solution isn't asking informal workers to become formal. It's giving them the tools they don't have:

• A matching platform — SangoServices connects workers and employers within a 5 km radius
• Transparent pricing — The FCFA amount is set upfront on every listing
• Digital payment — Mobile Money replaces cash, with a SangoCash receipt
• A verified profile — Phone is SMS-verified, tasks are counted, reliability is measured
• Barrier-free access — No CV, no app to download, no bank account needed

SangoServices offers 17 categories that reflect the diversity of informal work in Douala:

Cleaning, driving, moving, repair, delivery, cooking, manual labor, helper, babysitting, elderly care, event staffing, gardening, laundry, security, teaching, errands and other services.

Each category is designed for the real needs of Douala residents.

Cameroon's informal economy doesn't need bureaucracy. It needs:

• Visibility — so workers can be found
• Trust — so employers can verify profiles
• Traceability — so every payment is proved
• Accessibility — so the tool works for everyone, even without the latest smartphone

That's exactly what SangoServices is building, one task at a time, in the neighborhoods of Douala.

Join the movement. Get started for free — whether you're looking for work or hiring.