With the registration of the Poivre de Penja PGI of Cameroon, the number of non-EU countries that have registered one of their products through the European regulation on PDOs and PGIs increases to 21, for a total of 227 Geographical Indications, of which 197 in the food sector. It is the second African GI ever present in the European register, after South Africa's Rooibos PDO inserted in May 2021, and the third product from a non-EU country registered in the EU as a PGI since the beginning of 2022, an indication of the success of the strategy of 'European Union for the expansion of the system of Geographical Indications also through the recognition of non-EU products, reports Qualivita.

The name Poivre de Penja PGI refers to a spice obtained from the berries of Piper nigrum, a perennial climbing plant of the Piperaceae family with a strong and spicy flavor. Depending on the time of harvest and post-harvest treatment, it can be produced and marketed in green, black, white and red forms. Penja is the name of a municipality located in the Moungo department in the Littoral region of Cameroon. It extends over the territory of the Njombe-Penja district and is also the name of a valley with various locations.

The geographical area of Poivre de Penja PGI is located on the hills south of Mount Koupé between the Litoral and South-West regions. The pepper plantations are arranged on more or less stony basalt parcels on the sides of the hills or at their feet. The altitude of the plantations currently under cultivation varies from 140 to 600 m. They benefit from a warm, humid microclimate from April to October, but very dry the rest of the year. The cultivation takes place in the traditional way and the harvest is manual, which allows not to damage the product.