Bafoussam

Where is Bafoussam?

Bafoussam is in the West Region of Cameroon, about 260 km from Douala by road.

Bafoussam is the capital of the West region and of the Mifi department. It is the largest urban area in Bamiléké country and one of Cameroon's ten most populous cities, with several hundred thousand inhabitants by most estimates. It stands on the Bamiléké plateau, more than 1,400 metres above sea level, a little under 300 kilometres north of Yaoundé by road.

History and origin of the name

The city takes its name from the Bafoussam chiefdom, called Fussep in the local language, one of the Bamiléké chiefdoms of the area; it is both the town and the village of that people. The department it heads, created in 1960 as the Bafoussam department, was renamed Mifi the following year. Since 2008 the city has been an urban community made up of three municipalities: Bafoussam I, Bafoussam II (Baleng) and Bafoussam III (Bamougoum).

What to see

• The Bandjoun chiefdom, about 17 kilometres to the south, one of the great Bamiléké chiefdoms: its large bamboo-and-raffia hall, 17 metres high, rests on carved pillars, and a museum tells the story of the dynasty.
• Lake Baleng, a crater lake about ten kilometres north of the centre, regarded locally as a traditional sanctuary and added to Cameroon's national heritage list in 2020.
• The Métché Falls, north-west of the city, a site of traditional rites.
• The city's markets, including Marché A, the busiest, and Marché B.

Economy and local life

Bafoussam is the commercial centre of the West region, whose countryside grows coffee, potatoes, maize and beans. The city has a coffee-processing plant and a brewery. The Kouekong multi-sports stadium, opened in 2016, seats 20,000.

What to eat

Bafoussam lies at the heart of Bamiléké country, home of nkui, a slippery sauce made around Bafoussam and Dschang, and kondrè, the dish of receptions and funerals.

Practical information

The climate is tropical savanna but tempered by altitude, with temperatures mostly between 15 and 27 °C. The dry season runs from mid-November to mid-March, and the rainy season covers the rest of the year. The city has an airport at Bamougoum and lies on the Yaoundé–Bamenda road.

Distances by road

• Dschang: 55 to 60 km
• Foumban: 70 to 75 km
• Bamenda: about 80 km
• Nkongsamba: about 115 km
• Kumbo: about 140 km
• Douala: about 260 km
• Yaoundé: about 290 km

Approximate distances, city centre to city centre. Travel time depends heavily on road conditions and traffic.