Cameroon, often touted as Central Africa’s economic hub, stands at a critical digital crossroads. Despite high mobile coverage and ambitious development goals, the nation grapples with a vast digital divide. As of January 2025, a staggering 17.1 million people, or 58.1% of the total population, remain disconnected from the internet. This massive offline majority poses a significant hurdle to the nation’s digital transformation agenda, slowing economic growth and widening social inequality.
The Contradictory Data Landscape
The fundamental challenge in Cameroon is not merely a lack of network coverage, but a crucial gap between the ability to connect and the actual usage, often termed the “user gap.”
| Metric | Data (January 2025) | Context |
| Internet Penetration Rate | 41.9% (12.4 million users) | Indicates that over half the population is offline. |
| Mobile Connection Rate | 86.3% (25.5 million connections) | High rate confirms extensive network reach (voice/SMS) but not internet use. |
| Mobile Broadband Coverage | 83.6% (3G, 4G, or 5G coverage) | Shows that the network infrastructure is largely in place. |
| Fixed Internet Speed (Median DL) | 9.48 Mbps | Connection speed is relatively slow and decreased by $8.3\%$ in 2024. |
Source: DataReportal, GSMA Intelligence (January 2025)2
While 4G infrastructure is rapidly expanding (MTN alone added 98 new 4G sites in H1 2025), the number of people actually using the internet only grew by a modest 2.6% between January 2024 and January 2025. This points to barriers beyond simple network availability.
The Main Barriers to Digital Inclusion
The factors keeping the majority offline are primarily economic, educational, and political, presenting a complex challenge for the government’s National Development Strategy (NDS30).
1. Economic Affordability
For many Cameroonians, especially those in rural and low-income areas, the cost of access is prohibitive.
- Cost of Data: While data costs have been falling, they still consume a significant portion of the average monthly income. Basic data bundles, though available, are often insufficient for meaningful internet use (such as streaming or professional tools).
- Device Cost: The price of entry-level smartphones, which are the primary means of internet access, often equates to one to two weeks of income for an urban household, making the initial investment a major barrier.
2. Digital Skills and Literacy
The lack of digital know-how significantly limits demand for internet services.
- Low Digital Literacy: Even where connectivity exists, a substantial portion of the offline population lacks the digital literacy to use internet services safely and productively (e.g., setting up email, using a browser, or engaging in e-commerce).
- Lack of Relevant Local Content: Without an abundance of services, information, and applications in local languages that address daily needs (e.g., connected agriculture or local government services), the incentive for a non-user to get online remains low.
3. Infrastructure and Quality
While mobile coverage is high, the quality and reliability of the internet experience are often poor, especially outside the major cities of Douala and Yaoundé.
- Decreasing Fixed Speeds: The 8.3% drop in median fixed internet download speed reported in 2024 is a negative indicator, reflecting saturation or a lack of investment in backhaul capacity.
- Power and Stability: Loadshedding and general power instability, linked to the reliance on hydroelectric dams, severely impact the operational stability of telecommunications networks, leading to inconsistent speeds and frequent service interruptions.
4. Political and Security Disruptions
Internet disruptions driven by political instability pose a unique and damaging barrier to trust and reliable service.12
- Internet Shutdowns: The use of targeted internet throttling or shutdowns during periods of political tension (e.g., around election result announcements) creates a hostile environment. These acts not only disrupt business and social life but also erode the public’s confidence in the stability and reliability of the digital space, recalling the prolonged Anglophone region shutdowns of 2017.
The Path Forward: From Coverage to Inclusion
To transition the 58.1% offline population into active digital citizens, the focus must shift from simply laying fiber and erecting towers to prioritizing “meaningful connectivity” as outlined by the World Bank.
- Demand-Side Incentives: Government and private sector initiatives need to make connectivity more affordable. This includes targeted subsidies for low-income households and collaborating with operators to lower data prices, especially for educational and public health content.
- Digital Public Goods: Accelerating the rollout of foundational digital public goods—such as unified digital IDs, public digital payment systems, and fully digitized public services (like tax filing or land title management)—will create compelling and necessary reasons for citizens to adopt internet use.
- Digital Literacy Campaigns: Massive, targeted campaigns, particularly in rural areas and aimed at women, are required to build the foundational digital skills necessary to use online services productively.
Cameroon’s goal of achieving structural economic transformation by 2030 through the NDS30 cannot be realized if the majority of its population is excluded from the digital economy. Closing the user gap is no longer an infrastructure challenge; it is a critical socio-economic and political imperative.