Minette Libom Li Likeng is Cameroon’s Minister of Posts and Telecommunications where she is responsible for the preparation and implementation of government policy related to posts, telecommunications and information and communication technologies. The one-time celebrated senior customs official has since her appointment as member of government in 2015, gained grounds as one of the top excelling Cameroonian officials in general and women in particular. She has inspired and changed millions of Cameroonian lives not only among the female folk but beyond notably through her works in fostering digital transformation and via the fight against cybercrime. Since becoming the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, she has under the leadership of the Head of State, Paul Biya and the supervision of the Prime Minister and Head of Government, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute, recorded grounded breaking successes in her missions to among others, strive in driving the development of Information and Communication Technologies, ICT and electronic communications in all its forms.
She has done same in leading or supervising the construction of equipment and infrastructure in the sector. Under her leadership, several structures under the ministry, including telecommunications company, CAMTEL, Cameroon Postal Services, CAMPOST, Telecommunications Regulatory Agency, ART and the National Agency for Information and Communication Technologies, ANTIC, have not only continued riding on strongly. The structures have been transformed positively as a result of the multiple timely adjustments that have been made geared towards modernizing the facilities in a bid to have a wider result-oriented impact in the telecommunications landscape. CAMTEL, for instance, has despite challenges, continued to strive. The structure has now expanded and begun offering mobile network services besides its main task of providing telecommunications infrastructure to private companies in the field.
CAMPOST is equally excelling in the postal sector and is almost matching up with actors in the private sector who have also transformed and are smoothly working under state rules designed to make the sector a key player in the Cameroonian economy thanks to the leadership of the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications. The ministry has under her coordination, also strived in the area of the monitoring of e-commerce-related activities, cyber security and cybercrime issues. She and the ministry have led dozens of initiatives geared towards promoting cyber security, engaging both young and older persons through sensitization campaigns, capacity building workshops and others.
Her leadership has inspired the institution into leading internet awareness among young people notably through the annual organization of the ICT Holiday Camps which brings together hundreds of young Cameroonian learners from across the national territory each year to school them on the ICT and its various tools. The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications have under her leadership over the years, also continued building a fruitful relationship with the international community in the field of posts and telecommunications notably the Universal Postal Union, UPU and the International Telecommunications Union, ITU. The several achievements have over the years, earned the member of government several dozens of awards.
In August last year, she was named Cameroon’s 2023 Digital & Cybersecurity Champion by Cameroon English Language Newspapers Publishers’ Association, CENPA. Before the CENPA award, Cameroonian newspaper, The Guardian Post had in February of the same year honored her with Digital Transformation Champion Award. Minister Li Likeng did not kick start her journey of making Cameroon proud while at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. Before that, she had performed excellently while holding several other posts of responsibility. The holder of a Bachelor’s of Economic Sciences degree had before her appointment, served as the Director General of Customs for some seven years between 2008 and 2005.
In the lead up to her appointment as the head of the customs body, she had come through the ranks from the bottom to become the Head of the Legislation and Litigation Division at the Customs Directorate amongst others. She has also served as a lecturer at the National School of Administration and Magistracy, ENAM and held several other posts of responsibilities in the institution.
