The Loyalty Tax: Why investing in Cameroon keeps failing diaspora Cameroonians (and why it's not bad luck)
If you are a Cameroonian living abroad & have at some point tried to invest in Cameroon, you've probably lost money (maybe even multiple times). Not because your idea was bad. But because everyone involved in Cameroon was either just careless or extracted from you. The contractor. The family member on the ground. The childhood friend you trusted. Each taking their share as if it were completely normal.
Well they did it because, it is infact normal. Here's why.
In a system where contracts aren't enforced and the future is uncertain, taking today is smarter than building for tomorrow. The contractor who overbills you isn't short-sighted. He's learned that the long game rarely pays. And you're a specific target because you can't just walk away. Walking away means abandoning your cousin, your community, the promise you might have made made when you left. That guilt is a lever everyone at the table knows how to use.
There's a darker layer. Research shows that the more diaspora families privately fund schools and hospitals back home, the less governments bother to. Your generosity lets the state off the hook. You're not just losing money. You're extending the life of the problem you came to solve.
The way out isn't finding better people. It's changing the incentive structure entirely. Read the complete article here: https://open.substack.com/pub/thoughtson237/p/the-loyalty-tax-why-investing-in
What has been your experience with this? Have you been able to find a solution that works for you?