Mohamadou Bayero Fadil

Family and background

M. Fadil's biological parents are both from the North Region of Cameroon, birthplace of Cameroon's first President Ahmadou Ahidjo. His father, El Hadj Fadil Abdoulaye Hassoumi (1924–1993), and mother, Adja Ahoua Doudou are members of the Fulani (Fulbe), a dynamic tribe whose main economic activities are based on livestock and trade. In 1999, Mohamadou Bayero Fadil married Fatima Gumsu Abacha from Nigeria. She is the daughter of the former Nigerian president, Sani Abacha. The couple has been blessed with five children: three boys and two girls. Having an exceptionally creative mind, M. Fadil's father, as founder of Group Fadil, judiciously exploited the strategic, economic and commercial potentials of Cameroon Chemical Complex (CCC), the backbone of the Group Fadil's chain of companies. When he left the company in 1993, he bequeathed an immeasurably vast legacy to Mohamadou Bayero Fadil, who kept the CCC flame burning.

Academic profile

M. Fadil has a sound academic background thanks to the rigour of reputable American schools and universities. His managerial prowess is eloquent testimony of training received there. A computer enthusiast, he graduated from Bates Collège In Lewiston Maine, and the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in New York City and attended Georgetown University, In Washington DC. In 1984, though he was being solicited by top U.S companies including IBM, NT & T and American Express, he set his preferences at returning to Cameroon and contributing to its economic development.

Company track record

M. Fadil held responsible posts at Complex Chemique Camerounais (CCC), in Douala, and at Selcam, a salt producing unit, prior to his appointment as Director General of CCC. While he was in that position, Group Fadil experienced considerable growth, with increased diversification of products, redeployment of personnel, and modernisation of its product manufacturing processes.

When promoted to head Group Fadil in 1994, M. Fadil created new filial sub-division entities, each with independent activities:

In addition, he established Equatorial Media Group (EMG), publisher of Dikalo, a news journal, and operator of Camnews24 television and Hit Radio Camronais

The land assets of the CCC doubled in 2008, making it the largest company in the industrial Bassa zone.

Political activities

Besides being a renowned industrialist for more than two decades now, M. Fadil maintains an image of being a seasoned and respected politician, and has been active within the ruling CPDM since its creation, in 1985, by President Paul Biya.

He has, also, had a part in debate over Constitutional reform for Cameroon, and been a member of CPDM's Central Committee since 1996. Since 1997, M. Fadil has served as assistant coordinator of that party's activity in Douala, Cameroon's economic capital and an opposition stronghold. It is thanks to his dynamism and commitment that the CPDM regained political control of this strategic city, which had fallen to the opposition during protest years.

M. Fadil is a master of difficult situations within the party, and has successfully led reconciliation missions for the party. In 1997 he was the provincial coordinator for the renewal of party organisation in the West Region, and in 2002 supervised party primaries held prior to the 2002 general and municipal elections. Based on those experiences and successes, he is often solicited for resolution of problems and conflicts within the party, throughout the country. In the town of Abong Mbang in the East Region in 2007, and in Yagoua Mindif in the Far North Region in 2008 and 2009. M. Fadil declares having an increasing interest in politics. On a number of occasions he has been called upon to be part of the President's entourage during official trips abroad. During the last France-Africa summit, held in Nice, France in 2010, M. Fadil presented an important discourse on corporate social responsibility.

Group Fadil head office

To undertake all the activities mentioned above, and to improve the working conditions for Group Fadil employees, M. Fadil understood that by 2010, the group would need headquarters in Cameroon which would reflect his vision for it. The futuristic seat of Group Fadil, majestically imposing on a total area of 1250 m², was completed in 2004. At five storeys tall, with office occupancy space covering an area of 1035 m², it is the tallest building in the Bassa industrial complex.

Corporate social responsibility

Engaged in seeking solutions to global development and conscious of his ethical values, as member and consultant to the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Forum for Investment & Finance in Africa (EMRC), and as Chairman of the board of directors of the Standards & Quality Agency (ANOR), M. Fadil led Fadil Group to subscribe freely and simply to the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

He observed inter alia, that the Bassa industrial zone of Douala and its surrounding areas were home to a large Muslim community, but lacking a place of worship dedicated to prayer on Friday. Group Fadil decided then to build a mosque within the precincts of Bassa. The mosque, built on an area of 443 m², has a courtyard of approximately 1500 m². It is equipped with standard facilities. Its structure consists of columns, beams and some masonry bearing, all covered by a deck with reinforced concrete. The coatings are of glazed stoneware, enamel, and ceiling staff (for the prayer hall and gallery). It was inaugurated on 13 August 2010, by the main Imam of the city of Douala before an audience of important personalities.

Within context of CSR, and aware of the fact that access to clean water for the underprivileged was still a worry in Cameroon, M. Fadil also decided to invest in this sector through a department of CSR, a new department in Group Fadil. The department's objective is to promote the dynamics of community development. With that, a borehole equipped with modern water points was donated by CCC to residents of the Ndogsimbi neighbourhood in Douala, and inaugurated on 25 February 2011.

17 March 2011 is a date that Bayero Fadil will live to remember: it was a day a milestone was marked by the naming of an avenue to bear his family's name. Under the chairmanship of the Governor of the Littoral Region, and in the presence of a curious audience and top local and administrative officials, Avenue El Hadj Abdoulaye Fadil was inaugurated. On behalf of his family and himself, Mohamadou Bayero Fadil, stated that the naming not only represented recognition of a city but that of the entire nation, to a man who respects human values and Republican principles. As he proudly loves to emphasise, "...I now live at 90 and work at 278 Avenue El Hadj Abdoulaye Fadil!"

Camnews24

On 18 February 2012 Mr. Bayero Fadil launched a new TV channel, CAMNEWS24, the latest product of Equateur Medi Group –EMG that he founded in 1996. The Group already owns a newspaper DIKALO and a radio; hitfmradio (www.hitfmradio.net). Camnews24 according to the promoter is an epitome of the Group that he heads; the firm believed that the foundations of sustainable development lies in the control and efficient management of information throughout the world that was becoming a global village. CAMNEWS24 he insists is a general news channel. Through reports, magazines and documentaries, it will allow viewers to live and see Africa from Cameroon and the rest of the world from Africa. The launching of CAMNEWS24 was chaired by Cameroon's Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma Bakary.