Cameroon Needs an "API-First" Culture

Our tech ecosystem is doing amazing things, especially given the context we operate in, but let’s be honest: we are building on soft ground. The government may wants to turn this ground into a concrete floor, but they often hesitate because they don't see the immediate gain. Here is the pitch they need to hear (if you get some man for yde show him this): If you want more revenue, more control, and less administrative stress (this is where they gain more money at the moment btw), stop trying to build websites and start building APIs.

For the non-technical people, let’s clarify: an API (Application Programming Interface) is basically a "reseau" for computers. In Cameroon, we understand reseau - it is embedded in our culture. We know how it works; every interaction with a "higher-up" makes you adjust your tone or reach for a bottle of wine to get things moving. A good reseau spans out and gets things done through connections. Whether it’s a transfer reseau at MINESEC or a relationship with a Military/Ngess man, we know that these networks move the country. The people at the top make the money, even if they never personally interact with the end-user. An API does exactly this for data; it allows systems to talk to each other and get work done while you sleep.

Right now, most digital rollouts in Cameroon are handled poorly. Look at the new tax system; I bet most citizens can’t even get the website to open. Our government UIs are notoriously difficult to navigate. However, if these systems were built "API-first," a dozen private applications would have sprung up overnight to plug into them. These third-party apps would do the sensitization for the government. Marketers in our space would be scaring people - "It’s over for you if you don't pay your taxes through this app!" and as a result, more people would be "plucked" into the system. Our tax-paying percentage has been stuck at 11%–12% for years; APIs would finally move that needle.

This means more money for the "higher-ups" and the Treasury without the government needing to spend a franc on marketing or massive rollout campaigns. Building and maintaining entire web pages is expensive and difficult. By focusing on the API, the government only has to maintain the logic and the data. One of those private apps will eventually get the user interface right, making the service beautiful and easy to use for the average Cameroonian, all while the government collects the revenue in the background.

This logic cuts across every level of society. If we had an API-first culture, a Cameroonian developer could verify an ID card directly from their app, creating services you can actually trust. If the Land Registry had an API, you could verify a plot of land instantly before buying it. This would lead to more land sales, more documentation, and more fees flowing to the State. Even ANTIC is leaving money on the table; while they struggle with manual processes, everyone is buying .com or .co domains. If the .cm registry was an open API, every local business would have one. Look at ENEO they are making significantly more money now simply because they opened up APIs for payments.

The ultimate gain here is speed. Imagine real estate developers being able to verify land and process council locations via an app. Houses would spring up faster because the "plugs" are already there. We would gain massive efficiency and see a significant drop in the "bad" kind of corruption found in our current physical reseau, where documents constantly get lost or stalled. An API doesn't ask for a bribe to move a file; it just processes the request.

I can already hear people screaming that these APIs exist or that some version of them is in a basement somewhere. But if you truly build an "API-first" culture, you don't need a spokesperson to defend it in a comments section. It means there is public documentation, a stable interface, and a system that is well-tested and maintained. It means laying a concrete floor so that the rest of the country can finally start building.