A Data-Intensive Look at Refugee and IDP Statistics in Cameroon

Cameroon stands at a critical juncture, concurrently managing three major humanitarian crises that have collectively displaced over two million people. The data on Refugee and IDP Statistics in Cameroon serves as a stark metric of political instability, regional conflict, and the devastating human toll. Far from being a mere transit country, Cameroon is both a major host nation for external crises and the source of significant internal displacement, creating one of the most complex and under-resourced humanitarian situations in Central Africa.

This exhaustive analysis delves into the most recent figures from the UNHCR, IOM, and OCHA (up to October 2025), quantifying the massive displacement caused by the Anglophone Crisis (Northwest/Southwest), the Boko Haram insurgency (Far North), and the Central African Republic (CAR) conflict (Eastern regions).

I. The Scale of Displacement: A Three-Front Crisis

As of October 31, 2025, the total number of forcibly displaced persons in Cameroon, including refugees, asylum seekers, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), stands at approximately 2.09 million people. This figure underscores the immense pressure on the country’s social services and limited humanitarian capacity.

A. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

The majority of those displaced are Cameroonians forced to flee their homes due to internal conflicts. IDP figures are tracked across two major crisis zones: the Anglophone Regions and the Far North.

The number of IDPs resulting from the Anglophone Crisis has remained consistently high, driven by violence, enforced ghost towns, and attacks on civilian infrastructure. Since its escalation in late 2016, the crisis has directly resulted in an estimated 6,000 civilian deaths, making the displacement data a direct measure of its human cost.

B. Refugees and Asylum Seekers (External Crises)

Cameroon is a major host country, primarily receiving refugees from its eastern and northern borders.⁵

The sheer volume of these figures places Cameroon as the host to one of the largest refugee populations in Africa, stretching already thin resources. For instance, the CAR refugee population has been protracted, with 56% of refugees living in Cameroon for 6 to 10 years, meaning the displacement is a long-term development challenge, not just a temporary emergency.

II. The Human Toll of Regional Conflicts: Crisis-Specific Data

A. The Anglophone Crisis: Security and Protection Incidents

The Refugee and IDP Statistics related to the Anglophone Crisis are compounded by a high incidence of protection issues monitored by humanitarian agencies.

• IDP Profile: A high number of IDPs from the Northwest and Southwest regions settle in major cities, facing challenges such as overcrowding in classrooms, competition for housing, and increased vulnerability to exploitation .
• Protection Incidents (Q1 2025): The Northwest and Southwest regions accounted for the highest number of security incidents (54% of the national total of 650 incidents recorded in Q1 2025), with the most prevalent protection incidents being kidnapping (40%) and extortion (17%), primarily perpetrated by non-state armed groups (NSAGs).
• Education Impact: At least 2,245 schools in the Anglophone regions are non-functional due to attacks and threats, forcing displaced students to overcrowd schools in safer host cities like Bafoussam and Yaoundé.

B. The Boko Haram Insurgency: Violence and Extreme Vulnerability

In the Far North, the displacement is driven by a decade-long insurgency, creating an environment of continuous violent attacks, mainly by Boko Haram and ISWAP.

• Security Incidents (Q1 2025): The Far North region accounted for 34% of security incidents, where the primary protection incidents recorded were pillage/robbery (40%) and wound/mutilation (27%).
• Civilian Casualties: Between January and July 2024, at least 169 civilians died in attacks by non-state armed groups, with 246 attacks reported during this period. The figures illustrate the extreme and persistent threat to civilian life.
• Demographics: In the Far North region, 53% of recorded protection incidents affected females, highlighting the pronounced gender dimension of the conflict’s violence.

III. The Humanitarian Response Gap: Funding and Services

Despite the massive scale of the displacement, the humanitarian response is severely underfunded, exacerbating the vulnerability of those captured by the Refugee and IDP Statistics.

• Funding Shortfall: The humanitarian response remains significantly underfunded, with a 12.5% funding freeze on UNHCR resources implemented since January 2025, severely undermining the capacity to deliver life-saving assistance.
• Gender-Based Violence (GBV): The crisis-affected areas see high levels of GBV. In the first trimester of 2025, 59 new cases were reported among refugees, with denial of resources (55%) and psychological violence (33%) being the most common types.
• Health Access: Humanitarian organizations face significant obstacles in delivering aid due to insecurity and lack of access. For example, one organization noted that IDPs accounted for 80% of family planning consultations but also 89% of reported GBV incidents in its operational areas, illustrating both the high need and the extreme exposure to risk.

IV. Conclusion: A Call to Action Based on Data

The latest Refugee and IDP Statistics unequivocally demonstrate that the human tragedy stemming from Cameroon’s multiple crises is immense, affecting over two million people directly. The data not only provides a headcount but also quantifies the systemic violence, protection failures, and the critical funding gaps that plague the humanitarian response.

The staggering figures of almost one million internally displaced Cameroonians, alongside hundreds of thousands of refugees, must serve as the foundation for both political dialogue and international resource mobilization. Until the root causes of the conflicts in the Anglophone Regions and the Far North are resolved, and until host communities receive adequate support, Cameroon will continue to bear a disproportionate human and economic burden.