(Business in Cameroon) - The recent ranking of the Cameroonian financial market (Douala Stock Exchange) in the top 20 of the 2018 Absa Africa Financial Markets Index of the “Official Monetary and Financial Institution Forum” reveals that “Cameroon's market capitalization represents only 1% of its GDP, compared to 10% in Nigeria and 26% in Côte d'Ivoire”.

This situation is all the more understandable as the use of Stock market is widely spread in the two West African countries. For example, although it is a regional stock exchange (whose counterpart is the Libreville-based BVMAC, unfortunately less dynamic than the DSX), the Abidjan Stock Exchange (BRVM) has more than 30 listed companies, against only three for the Douala Stock Exchange in Cameroon.

At the same time, the number of companies listed on the Lagos Stock Exchange and, above all, their contribution in the country's economy are even more important in Nigeria, which is the second largest economy in Africa, after South Africa.

Let’s note that, market capitalization corresponds to the value of all shares on a given financial market. On the Douala stock exchange, this indicator reaches just over CFA150 billion.

BRM