It is a centre for the farming of palm oil, bananas and coffee, and is between two mountains, the Manengouba Massif (2,396 metres (7,861 ft)) and Mount Nlonako.

There is a weekly Thursday market at which farmers from the surrounding area gather to sell their goods.

Completed by German colonists in 1911, the railway line played a critical economic role in facilitating the shipment of agricultural commodities, especially coffee, to Douala.

Nkongsamba slid into economic decline with the closure of the last 50-kilometre (31 mi) segment of the line from Mbanga.

The town's charming art deco railway station remains but has been converted to housing.