The winners of the Bamenda III Council Inclusive Royal Tournament 2025 will once again lift trophies and wear medals donated by China-based Cameroonian entrepreneur Watsa Stephane, marking the second consecutive year he has supported the competition.
The gesture, announced earlier this month, includes trophies for champions, medals for runners-up, and special awards for outstanding individual performances. Tournament organisers say this continuity of sponsorship has elevated the prestige of the event, drawing a wider pool of teams and intensifying competition.
Tournament coordinator Boris Atang hailed Watsa’s contribution:
“Mr Watsa’s consistency in supporting this tournament is remarkable. Year after year, he reminds us that community sports can thrive when people who have succeeded elsewhere still think of home. His trophies and medals are not just prizes, they are symbols of encouragement for our young players to aim higher.”
Mayor Fongu Cletus Tanwe of the Bamenda III Council also praised the entrepreneur’s commitment after receiving the trophies and medals.
“We value Mr Watsa’s generosity not only because it lifts the standard of our tournament, but because it reflects a deeper commitment to the development of Bamenda III. Whether through sports or business, his contributions show how the diaspora can be a driving force for local progress.”
Mayor Fongu Cletus, Watsa Stephan and team as well members of tournament organising committee
For Watsa Stephane, the gesture is rooted in a personal philosophy that blends sport, opportunity, and community development.
“Football is one of the greatest sports that unites people and can open doors for those who take it seriously. But in Africa, limited investment means many talented players never get a chance. From my experience in China, I wanted to show my support not just to the tournament, but to the idea that our talents deserve a stage,” he told Hilltopvoices Newsroom from Guangzhou, where he now runs WATSA Group.
While the trophy donation is a visible and symbolic gesture, Watsa’s lasting impact on Cameroon comes through his work in the China–Africa–Cameroon trade corridor.
WATSA Group, headquartered in China, serves as an intermediary for African businesses, students, and travellers. The company’s operations span product sourcing, supplier verification, goods inspection, logistics coordination, customs documentation, visa facilitation, travel guidance, and scholarship navigation.
This model solves persistent problems faced by small and medium-sized African enterprises importing from China: counterfeit goods, shipment delays, substandard products, and complex customs procedures.
The corridor in which WATSA Group operates is vast and growing. China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching US$262 billion in 2023. In the first five months of 2025 alone, China–Africa trade hit US$134.16 billion, up 12.4% from the same period in 2024.
For Cameroon, the numbers illustrate heavy reliance on imports: in 2024, China exported US$3.64 billion in goods to Cameroon and imported about US$1.07 billion. The imbalance reflects both opportunity and risk, especially for SMEs vulnerable to counterfeit goods or shipment delays. The Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Developments, OECD estimates counterfeit and pirated goods represent roughly US$467 billion of global trade.
“When you are trading internationally, you need more than contacts. You need trust and verification,” Stephane explains adding “That’s where we come in. We make sure that what you order is what you receive, and that it gets to you on time and with the right paperwork.”
A practical example of WATSA Group’s impact is the partnership with Hilltopvoices Communications Group Ltd. Through its StreamPro livestream service, Hilltopvoices needed professional-grade broadcast equipment to cover local events, but sourcing such gear locally was costly, slow, or unreliable.
StreamPro Manager, Nfor Abdouraman, describes the experience:
“We had long struggled to find reliable suppliers for the kind of broadcast equipment we needed. Watsa handled everything from identifying trusted manufacturers to inspecting the gadgets before shipment. Within a record time, the equipment was in Bamenda, ready to use. It’s the kind of efficiency that transforms how small organisations like ours can scale.” Nfor Abdouraman said
The upgraded equipment has enabled Hilltopvoices to livestream community festivals, football matches, and funerald with professional-level clarity, expanding the reach of local stories and events.
Watsa Stephane’s approach reflects a growing trend among African diaspora entrepreneurs who are leveraging global positions to create value at home.
From Bamenda III’s football tournament to media capacity-building for local broadcasters, his interventions show that diaspora engagement can be both economic and cultural. His recognition as Mr FEHACU 2023 during the Bamenda III Festival of Heritage Arts and Culture highlights his enduring local ties, even as his business footprint spans continents.
“Trade should be about more than buying and selling. It should be about building the capacity of our communities in business, in sport, in media so they can compete and thrive in a global market.” he says
With demand for trusted intermediaries in China–Africa trade growing, WATSA Group plans to expand its network of verified suppliers, extend logistics coverage, and increase scholarship placements for African students in Chinese institutions.
In the meantime, the trophies and medals for the Bamenda III Council Inclusive Royal Tournament 2025 will soon find their way into the hands of new champions tangible reminders that business success abroad can still be felt on the home pitch.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Newsroom
Email: hilltopvoicesnewspaper@gmail.com
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