Glossary of Informal Work in Cameroon
All key terms to understand the Cameroonian informal job market, Mobile Money payments, and the SangoServices platform.
Economy
- Informal work
- Informal work refers to any economic activity that is not registered with the state and falls outside tax and social regulations. In Cameroon, 86.6% of employed people work in the informal sector (INS, 2021): it is the primary livelihood for millions of people. Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INS)
- Tontine
- A tontine is a traditional communal savings system widely practiced in Cameroon. A group of people regularly contributes a fixed amount, and each member receives the entire pot in turn. It is an essential financial tool for informal workers who lack access to bank credit, enabling them to fund investments, emergencies, or professional projects.
- Platform economy
- The platform economy (or gig economy) refers to an economic model where digital platforms connect independent service providers with clients. SangoServices is a free directory of workers adapted to the Cameroonian context: every phone number is verified by SMS, and the employer contacts and pays the worker directly.
- Cameroon informal sector
- The informal sector occupies 86.6% of employed people in Cameroon (INS, 2021) and contributes significantly to national GDP. It encompasses small businesses, crafts, domestic services, informal transport, and subsistence farming. SangoServices aims to structure part of this sector by providing a free, reliable and transparent directory of workers. Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INS)
Work
- Day labor
- Day labor refers to temporary employment paid by the day, without a long-term contract. In Cameroon, it is the most common form of employment in the informal sector. On SangoServices, employers look for day laborers by trade and neighborhood, then contact them directly by WhatsApp or phone; duration, hours and rate are agreed between them.
Platform
- Reliability score
- A reliability score is a numeric rating that some matching platforms compute from the history of a user (cancellations, jobs carried through) to rank profiles. SangoServices does not display such a score: the trust signals visible on a profile are the SMS-verified phone number, the "ID verified" badge and the number of hires confirmed by employers.
- Search radius
- The search radius is the distance around a location within which you look for a worker. SangoServices sets no fixed radius: you search by trade, city and neighborhood, and if nobody matches in a neighborhood, the directory shows the nearest workers in the same trade. Choosing someone who lives near the workplace reduces transport costs and commute time.
- Free of charge
- Workers: the profile and the directory listing are free, with no time limit; creating CVs and letters is free, and so are the first CV and the first letter as PDFs, then 100 FCFA per new document (free during the launch). No commission. Employers: browsing profiles costs nothing; 1 free phone number a day without an account, 3 with a free account, then 200 FCFA per number (free during the launch). No commission. The employer pays the worker directly (cash or Mobile Money).
- Verification
- On SangoServices, the phone number of every worker is verified by SMS. Workers can also request an optional identity check: their ID and a selfie are reviewed by the team, and their profile gets the "ID verified" badge. Profiles also show the number of hires confirmed by employers.
- Task / Mission
- A mission is a one-time job entrusted to a worker: cleaning, repair, delivery, etc. It is defined by a task, a duration (1h, half-day, full day), a place and an amount in FCFA agreed in advance. On SangoServices, the employer finds a worker in the directory, contacts them directly and agrees on the task, duration and rate with them.
Payment
- Mobile Money
- Mobile Money is a payment and money transfer service via mobile phone. In Cameroon, the main operators are MTN Mobile Money (MoMo) and Orange Money. This service allows sending money, paying bills, and receiving payments without a bank account. On SangoServices, the employer pays the worker directly, in cash or by Mobile Money: the platform does not hold or transfer any payment.
- FCFA (CFA Franc)
- The CFA Franc (FCFA) is the currency used in 14 African countries, including Cameroon. Its exchange rate is fixed to the euro: 1 EUR = 655.957 FCFA. It is the currency in which SangoServices workers display their minimum rate. A typical daily wage in Cameroon's informal economy ranges from 3,000 to 15,000 FCFA.
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