Few Cameroonians know the story of James Onobiono, the man behind one of the country's largest tobacco industries, SITABAC. Born in Bokito in 1950, Onobiono co-founded the Société Industrielle des Tabacs du Cameroun in the 1980s with Théodore Ebobo and a German partner. His journey, from Ndokoti in Douala to the circles of big business, testifies to an empire built with discretion but determination.
In the 1980s, James Onobiono partnered with Théodore Ebobo and obtained funds from a German investor to launch SITABAC. The challenge was significant: to compete with the foreign multinationals that then dominated the national cigarette market. SITABAC eventually established itself, controlling a significant share of the Cameroonian market and becoming a symbol of local industry.
Onobiono's palace in Ndokoti, Douala, became a symbol of his success. But his ambition did not stop at tobacco. He diversified his activities with Propero SA, an investment fund created in December 2014, and Quantum Cocoa SA, specializing in cocoa processing. Quantum Cocoa SA, launched on September 17, 2015, aimed to establish a cocoa processing unit with an investment of 14 billion FCFA, creating 186 jobs. Propero SA, for its part, had an initial share capital of 10 million FCFA and focused on investing in and acquiring stakes in companies.
"You have to invest in what others underestimate": this philosophy, according to Onobiono, has guided his journey. In three decades, this entrepreneur from central Cameroon has proven that a Cameroonian can compete with major international companies on his own territory. His influence extended beyond business, as he was a member of the central committee of the RDPC, the ruling party, and his wife, Marie Suzanne N'nolo, is a member of parliament for Bokito.
Despite legal troubles with his German partner Reemtsma International from 1992, and the challenges posed by smuggling, James Onobiono remains a prominent figure in Cameroonian entrepreneurship. His journey illustrates a bold vision and an ability to seize opportunities where others hesitate, leaving a lasting imprint on Cameroon's economy.
