Fotabe Elmine Ekali is the fourth child from a family of six. She was born in Kumba¸ South west Region of Cameroon.
In 2008, She founded Job Shop Cameroon, which was the first job placement Agency in Buea . In 2010, Job Shop became a partnership under a new name: Job Shop and Financial Solutions (JSF) Group, which provided corporate trainings, and later expnded its operations into Higher Education by creating JSF Polytechnic. She became Co-Founder of the group and then became the youngest and the first female Rector of a polytechnic (JSF Polytechnic) in Anglophone Cameroon.
The challenges of a partnership made it challenging for Mme Fotabe to realize her vision. She decided to quit an organization she created and worked tirelessly to build. She said " I put all my savings and my heart into JSF Group/ JSF Ploytechnic. But sometimes, we should have the courage to take a step back, analyze what is truly important, and re-write our dreams."
After leaving JSF Group in 2014, she became the Founding President of Fotabe University, and umbrella Name for three Institutions: Fotabe Entrepreneurial Leadership Academy, Fotabe Universal Higher Institute of Cameroon, and African Arts Academy.
She is the Cameroon Country Representative of Rome Business School, where she also teaches MBA courses in Marketing, Human Resources and Business.
She has taught at various Universities and Higher Institutes around Cameroon, including The Catholic University institute of Buea and The Higher Institute of Management studies.
She was the first Deputy Associate Provost in the school of Management Sciences in the University Institute of the diocese of Buea and has developed and reviewed syllabi for the Pan African Institute for Development and the University institute of the Diocese of Buea. She is an HND examiner.
Mme Fotabe believes that women and girls deserve decent employment. In 2015, she founded The Association for the Promotion of Decent work for Women and Girls-ASSPRODEC. This association advocates against the exploitation of female domestic workers and provides entrepreneurial training and financial support to women and early school leavers. Elmine enjoys honing the Entrepreneurial potentials in young people.
In 2015, Fotabe Elmine launched the famous Entrepreneurial leadership forum, an annual 3-day event that provides free entrepreneurship and leadership training to High school students from all over the national territory with the objective of encouraging entrepreneurship and leadership among young people in high school.
Her quest for social development also inspired her to concieve the idea of encouraging more and more Cameroonians to get involved in entrepreneurial activities aimed at solving social issues. In December 2017, Fotabe Elmine conceived the Kansas Hill idea. Her intention was to develop a hub for social entrepreneurs and position Bamenda as the most social city in Africa. She launched her Kansas Hill idea alongside some social Entrepreneurs in Bamenda.
Mme Fotabe holds a Masters Degree in Human Resource Management from MIDIFORM Business School in Rome, Italy, She holds a Masters degree in Marketing Communications from Rome Business School, a Diploma in Human Resource Management and an Advanced Diploma in Management and Administration form Cambridge International College in Jersey, UK. Mme Fotabe also holds a Certificate in Psychology and Mental health from the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom.