As Cameroon prepares for the grand finale of the Cameroon International Tech Summit 2024, Mountain Hub is proud to honor a visionary young leader who has become a driving force in digital innovation, Sinet Akih, a dynamic product marketing manager, strategist, and youth advocate whose work continues to transform how technology impacts lives across the nation.
This year, Mountain Hub is presenting Sinet with the Excellence Award for Product Innovation and Digital Leadership, recognizing his outstanding contribution to youth empowerment, ecosystem growth, and product innovation in Cameroon’s digital economy.
A Vision Born in Bamenda’s Adversity
Sinet’s journey begins in Bamenda, a city marked by both resilience and disruption. In a region where instability once shut down classrooms and stalled opportunities, he found inspiration. “I didn’t have access to fancy labs or startup hubs,” he recalls. “All I had was curiosity and borrowed laptops.”
That curiosity became a calling. Teaching himself design, branding, and code, Sinet began crafting digital products that connected people, solved everyday problems, and told stories that mattered. Over time, his ability to blend creativity with strategy positioned him as one of Cameroon’s most promising product marketing managers and a leader redefining what it means to build with purpose.
Driving Fintech Growth at BitSika
Sinet’s most defining corporate chapter came with BitSika, one of Africa’s leading fintech platforms backed by Binance Labs. Known for its seamless cross-border payments, crypto trading, and virtual Visa cards, BitSika was expanding into new African markets when Sinet joined the team.
As Product Marketing Manager, he led user growth and localization for Cameroon and Francophone Africa, adapting product messaging, onboarding flows, and user engagement strategies to resonate with diverse audiences. Under his watch, BitSika’s user base in Cameroon surged by more than 10,000 users in less than a year, solidifying the brand’s foothold in the region.
He collaborated closely with engineers to introduce bilingual interfaces, refined in-app communication to improve retention, and partnered with local influencers to build trust in digital finance. “Product marketing isn’t just about visibility,” Sinet explains. “It’s about designing trust, helping people feel confident using technology they once considered unreachable.”
His work at BitSika helped shape how fintech products approach localization and user trust in emerging markets, proving that innovation thrives at the intersection of empathy and data.
Transforming Health Access with CheckMe and Nang Health
Before his fintech success, Sinet cut his teeth in health tech, helping develop digital tools that brought critical services closer to everyday Cameroonians. At CheckMe Health, a telemedicine startup, he worked on brand communication and adoption strategy for remote health services, particularly in underserved areas. His team’s approach simplified medical consultations and encouraged digital trust in preventive health.
That same passion for social impact continued at Youth2Youth Cameroon, where Sinet served as Product Lead for the Nang Health App, a youth-centered mobile platform providing accurate sexual and reproductive health information. He helped shape its user experience, crafted a visual identity that resonated with young people, and drove awareness through school- and community-based tech events.
The result was a first-of-its-kind youth health platform that reached thousands of users within its first months, proving that with the right approach, technology could address some of society’s most sensitive topics.
Product Leadership at Prime Technologies
This year, Sinet has taken his strategic mindset to Prime Technologies, a digital solutions company specializing in enterprise software and data-driven applications. As Marketing and Product Strategist, he helped launch and scale several B2C SaaS products, overseeing go-to-market planning, design implementation, and user onboarding systems.
His data-first marketing approach allowed Prime to enhance product-market fit and secure new partnerships, further cementing his reputation as a leader capable of driving growth across diverse industries, from health to fintech to enterprise solutions.
Building the Bamenda Tech Community from the Ground Up
Parallel to his professional journey, Sinet became one of the key architects of Bamenda’s tech ecosystem. As Lead Organizer of the Bamenda Community Challenge (BCC), he turned what started as a small innovation contest into one of the region’s largest youth tech platforms.
Through bootcamps, mentorship sessions, and product design workshops, BCC has trained and inspired over 10,000 young people to explore entrepreneurship and digital innovation. “Bamenda is full of untapped genius,” Sinet says. “The goal is to help young people see that innovation isn’t a privilege; it’s a possibility.”
His leadership in the region has been instrumental in connecting young innovators with national opportunities and laying the foundation for sustainable, community-driven tech growth.
Empowering Entrepreneurs Through Thinkrich Media Agency Ltd
Through his company, Thinkrich Media Agency Ltd., Sinet has trained hundreds of small businesses, entrepreneurs, and creatives in leveraging digital tools for brand growth. His mentorship and training programs, covering topics from digital marketing to creative storytelling, have equipped countless youths with the skills to build viable online businesses.
His efforts in demystifying technology through social media earned him national recognition, including a nomination for the Cameroon Youth Award for Best Digital Tech Content Creator, highlighting his role as a bridge between innovation and accessibility.
Looking Ahead: Jappcare and the Next Chapter of Innovation
Today, Sinet is channeling years of experience into his next venture, Jappcare Autotech, a startup focused on improving vehicle maintenance and road safety through digital tools. By combining diagnostics, maintenance tracking, and an e-commerce platform for spare parts, Jappcare reflects its consistent vision: build technology that solves real, human problems.
Though still in its early stages, Jappcare signals the next evolution of his mission, using innovation not just for convenience but for impact.
Honoring Excellence and Impact
“In recognizing Sinet Akih, we’re celebrating a leader who embodies the spirit of Africa’s new digital movement,” said the Mountain Hub award committee. “He represents the future of technology in Cameroon—a builder, a mentor, and a visionary who turns purpose into measurable progress.”
As the Cameroon International Tech Summit finale draws near, Sinet’s journey stands as proof that true innovation doesn’t begin in boardrooms; it starts in the heart of communities. From BitSika’s fintech revolution to Bamenda’s grassroots innovation, his work continues to inspire a generation determined to prove that Cameroon’s next digital leaders are already here.