Naomi Audrey Dinamona Mbakam (widely known as Naomi Mbakam) is a visionary Cameroonian entrepreneur and engineer who has captured national and continental attention for her work in the agri-food sector. She is the founder and CEO of Leelou Baby Foods, a startup that is tackling infant malnutrition by leveraging local African ingredients.
From Engineering to Entrepreneurship
Naomi’s background is rooted in technical excellence. She is an Electrical Engineer (Ingénieure en génie électrique) by training, a field that taught her the precision and systems thinking she now applies to industrial food production.
The inspiration for her business came from a common problem faced by many African mothers: the reliance on expensive, imported, and often highly processed infant flours. In 2020, she launched her brand, “Les Petits Pots de Leelou,” with a mission to provide freshly prepared, nutrient-dense porridges and purees made specifically for babies aged 6 to 36 months.
Impact as a Youth Leader
Naomi’s impact is defined by her commitment to the “Made in Africa” movement and her role in strengthening regional value chains.
- Food Sovereignty and Health: By using local staples such as rice, corn, and sorghum, she is reducing Cameroon’s dependence on imported infant foods. Her products are formulated to combat common nutritional deficiencies in children, providing a healthy, affordable alternative for families across the Central African sub-region.
- The Pierre Castel Prize (2024): Her innovation earned her the prestigious 1st Prize of the Pierre Castel Award in Cameroon. This award recognizes young entrepreneurs whose projects contribute to agricultural development and food security.
- Regional Economic Advocacy: Naomi has become a prominent voice for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). She advocates for the belief that Africa must develop its own regional value chains to transition from “potential to prosperity.”
- Youth Employment: Through her SME based in Douala, she provides employment opportunities for young Cameroonians, demonstrating that the agri-food sector is a viable and high-status career path for those with engineering and business backgrounds.
Philosophy: Prosperity through Authenticity
Naomi Mbakam represents a shift in African entrepreneurship where “high-tech” training is applied to “high-touch” community needs. She believes that the path to African prosperity lies in believing in local products and scaling them to international standards.
“With AfCFTA, Africa must believe in and develop a regional value chain of infant food… moving from potential to prosperity.” — Naomi Mbakam
Legacy and Future Vision
As of 2026, Naomi is scaling Leelou Baby Foods beyond Cameroon’s borders, aiming to become a household name across the continent. Her journey proves that an engineering degree can be the foundation for solving one of society’s most basic needs: feeding the next generation safely and sustainably.
Naomi Mbakam’s approach with Leelou Baby Foods centres on the nutritional superiority of local Cameroonian and African grains. By utilizing sorghum and corn as foundations, her products provide a high-performance alternative to imported options.
The Nutritional Powerhouse: Sorghum vs. Corn
Naomi leverages the specific profiles of these grains to ensure a balanced start for infants:
- Sorghum (The Nutrient Leader):
- Protein & Energy: Sorghum often outperforms corn in protein content (approx. 13% vs 9%) and energy density, which is critical for rapid physical growth in babies.
- Minerals: It is significantly richer in essential minerals like zinc and iron compared to corn and rice, helping to prevent anemia and boost the immune system.
- Amino Acids: It contains a higher concentration of total essential amino acids, including methionine, which is vital for tissue repair and growth.
- Corn (The Foundation):
- Essential Fats: Certain local varieties of waxy and purple corn provide healthy lipid levels (up to 4.3%), which are essential for brain development and psychomotor growth.
- Energy Density: Corn provides a high energy value (approx. 379 kcal/100g) that fuels a child’s daily physical activity and psychomotor milestones.
Strategic Benefits of Leelou’s Recipes
By using an engineering mindset to formulate these blends, Naomi addresses key gaps in traditional weaning:
- Combating Malnutrition: The higher mineral and protein counts in sorghum help reduce the prevalence of conditions like kwashiorkor.
- Fiber for Digestion: Both grains provide significant dietary fiber, which supports a healthy gastrointestinal tract and digestive health.
- Local Bioavailability: By processing these grains locally, she avoids the nutritional degradation that often occurs during long-distance shipping and extended storage of foreign brands.
