Born in Mbanga,[REF][REF] Mpouma studied in France at the National Agronomic Institute from 1960 to 1963, receiving degrees in agronomic engineering and rural economy.
After a brief stint as Deputy Secretary-General of the Presidency, Mpouma served as President-Director-General of the National Investment Corporation (SNI) for about six months[REF] before being appointed to the government as Minister of Industrial and Commercial Development on 12 June 1970.