Phones and internet in Cameroon: SIM cards, operators, 4G

The operators

The mobile market is split between Orange Cameroun and MTN Cameroon, far ahead of Camtel, the historic state operator, which also holds the fixed-line monopoly. According to 2024 figures quoted by Ecomatin (March 2026), Orange has 49.5% of the market, MTN 46.9% and Camtel 6.7%; Camtel's active subscriptions jumped 70.2% in a year, to 2.049 million. Those three shares add up to more than 100%, so they may be calculated on different bases and should be read as rough orders of magnitude. In 2024, sector revenue topped 1,022 billion CFA francs (Business in Cameroon). The regulator is the Telecommunications Regulatory Board (ART).

Buying a SIM card as a foreigner

Since the decree of 3 September 2015 on subscriber identification, every SIM card must be registered to its user, in person, at an approved outlet; street sales are banned. For individuals, the operator asks for the original and a copy of an identity document, plus a precise address. For foreigners, the text refers to a valid residence permit 'or any document serving as such'. No one may hold more than three SIM cards per operator without ART authorisation.

• In practice: go to an official MTN or Orange shop with your passport, and ask whether your visa or passport is enough for registration.
• Before you leave, check that your phone is unlocked and works on the GSM bands used in Europe and Africa (Wikivoyage).
• A registered SIM is also the key to mobile money: see the money and budget page.

eSIMs and data plans

MTN Cameroon offers an eSIM to customers with a compatible phone, activated by QR code; Orange Cameroun also lists it among its products. For short stays, Wikivoyage notes that international data-only eSIM providers (Airalo, Ubigi) cover Cameroon, which saves buying a local card but gives you neither a Cameroonian number nor access to mobile money.

Bundles change often and are not clearly listed on the operators' websites: you buy them via USSD codes, in the apps (MyMTN, Max it for Orange) or from a retailer. For comparison, Cable.co.uk's worldwide study put the average price of 1 GB of mobile data in Cameroon at US$1.63 in 2023, ranking it 140th of 237 countries.

Coverage: 4G in the cities, 5G still pending

MTN and Orange offer 4G, of uneven quality according to Wikivoyage. Between cities coverage is limited, the UK Foreign Office warns, suggesting a VHF radio or satellite phone for some journeys. 5G had not yet been commercially launched in August 2026: the head of the regulator, Philémon Zo'o Zame, said the groundwork was 'practically' complete, but power supply, fibre capacity and frequency interference still had to be resolved (Business in Cameroon). MTN has announced around US$300 million of investment for 2025-2027, and in March 2026 Camtel put out a tender for 2.3 million 5G-ready SIM cards.

Internet shutdowns

In January 2017, at the start of the crisis in the English-speaking regions, after strikes by teachers, lawyers and students, the internet was cut in the North-West and South-West for 93 days, until April 2017, and restored after international pressure, including from the UN. Activist Judith Nwana put the cost at no less than US$38 million (Al Jazeera). A second, more targeted restriction on social media and messaging apps (Facebook, WhatsApp and others) followed from October 2017. Wikivoyage notes that service has remained intermittent in those regions since. Before travelling to those regions, read the safety page.

Calling and getting online

• To call Cameroon from abroad: +237 followed by the 9-digit number. From Cameroon to another country: 00 then the country code.
• Internet access is widespread in the cities but has historically been slow, according to Wikivoyage. None of the reliable sources consulted measures the quality of hotel and café Wi-Fi: a local SIM with a data bundle remains the safest bet.

Frequently asked questions