Cameroon profile

Demography and Health

Cameroon has a population of about 29.1 million in 2024, reflecting a country with a relatively young demographic profile given its birth rate of 33.7 births per 1,000 people (2023). This youthful growth presents opportunities for a dynamic labor force in the medium term but also underscores the pressure on health, education, and employment systems as the country scales up. The crude death rate stands at 7.15 per 1,000 in 2023, and life expectancy at birth is 63.7 years (2023), signaling ongoing health challenges despite progress in some areas. The under-5 mortality rate is notably high at 67.2 per 1,000 live births (2023), highlighting gaps in child health services and preventive care. The prevalence of undernourishment is 5.7% (2022), suggesting that while nutrition insecurity affects a minority, it remains a critical target for public health and agricultural policy. The health sector also contends with human-resource constraints: physicians per 1,000 people are 0.135 (2022), pointing to limited access to qualified care in many areas. Health financing shows some public support, with current health expenditure at 4.48% of GDP (2022) and domestic general government health expenditure per capita, PPP, at 30.3 international dollars (2022), indicating government prioritization but still room for scaling up investments to improve coverage and outcomes. The country’s rapidly expanding population, coupled with relatively modest health indicators, highlights the need for strengthening primary health care, expanding the health workforce, and improving maternal, child, and adolescent health services to convert youthful demography into a demographic dividend.

Economy

Cameroon’s economy is characterized by a modest level of development with GDP per capita at about $1,762 (current US$) in 2024 and a GDP per capita, PPP of roughly $5,591 (2024). The country experiences inflation of about 4.53% in 2024, indicating manageable price pressures relative to many peers but still requiring prudent monetary and fiscal management to safeguard purchasing power. The structure of the economy shows openness to trade but a not-fully-integrated manufacturing base: exports of goods and services account for 14.7% of GDP (2024), while imports remain a larger share at 21.1% of GDP (2024). The trade balance has room to improve as the current account shortfall stands at −4.1% of GDP (2023). Foreign direct investment, net inflows, are 1.67% of GDP (2023), suggesting moderate investor interest but significant scope to deepen investment across sectors, especially infrastructure, agribusiness, and light manufacturing. The economy also faces outward pressures from net out-migration (negative net migration of about 13,892 people in 2024), which can erode the domestic labor pool and potentially dampen long-run growth unless countered by job creation and productivity gains. Unemployment sits at 3.27% (2021), a relatively low rate that may reflect underemployment or informality rather than robust formal employment. The country’s high-technology exports are comparatively modest, totaling about $5.7 million (2021), underscoring that Cameroon remains more oriented toward commodity and resource-based activities rather than high-tech manufacturing. Taken together, Cameroon’s economy shows resilience and growth potential but requires structural reforms, investment in human capital, and enhanced competitiveness to convert its size into durable shared gains.

Trade and Investment

In a trade context, Cameroon’s exports of goods and services represent 14.7% of GDP (2024), with imports at 21.1% of GDP (2024), indicating a trade profile that is reasonably open but reliant on foreign inputs and external markets. The negative current account balance of −4.1% of GDP (2023) signals ongoing external financing needs and vulnerability to commodity price swings or shifts in trade terms. Foreign direct investment, net inflows, stand at 1.67% of GDP (2023), reflecting a moderate level of international capital inflows that could be mobilized more aggressively through improved governance, fiscal incentives, and policy certainty. The logistics environment—captured by the Logistics Performance Index at 2.1 (on a scale from 1 to 5) with a rank around 25—suggests that trade and transport-related infrastructure faces significant challenges, potentially raising costs and delivery times for exporters and importers alike. The country’s digital footprint is expanding, with 41.9% of the population using the Internet (2023), which, coupled with a notable share of renewable energy consumption, points to opportunities in e-commerce, digital services, and technology-enabled value chains. Overall, Cameroon’s trade and investment landscape shows a blend of openness and constraints, where policy improvements in governance, infrastructure, and ease of doing business could unlock higher investment inflows and more robust import-export activity.

Governance and Institutions

Cameroon’s governance and institutional environment reveals notable challenges: political stability and absence of violence/terrorism score at −1.4 (2023) with a rank of 175, indicating perceived risks to stability relative to many peers. Regulatory quality is −0.913 (2023, rank 160), and the rule of law is −1.04 (2023, rank 167), suggesting difficulties in implementing and enforcing policies and in upholding legal frameworks. Control of corruption is −1.16 (2023, rank 170), and government effectiveness is −0.906 (2023, rank 163); these indicators collectively point to governance constraints that can hinder policy implementation, deter investment, and complicate public service delivery. The combined picture implies a need for stronger rule of law, anticorruption measures, and improvements in public sector performance to restore confidence and attract higher-quality investment. The relatively low unemployment rate, when considered alongside informality and underemployment, may reflect a large informal sector rather than robust formal job creation. Strengthening institutions, ensuring policy consistency, and enhancing transparency would be essential steps toward more inclusive growth and a more predictable business environment for both domestic and foreign investors.

Infrastructure and Technology

Infrastructure and technology indicators show Cameroon navigating mixed terrain. The Logistics Performance Index score of 2.1 (2022) indicates that trade-related infrastructure is not yet at a high standard, which can constrain efficient movement of goods and services and raise logistics costs. Internet penetration is 41.9% (2023), signaling room for digital expansion, e-government, and inclusive connectivity in rural areas. High-technology exports amount to about $5.7 million (2021), underscoring a relatively modest high-tech export footprint and limited advanced manufacturing capabilities. The health workforce is sparse, with physicians per 1,000 people at 0.135 (2022), suggesting significant gaps in access to care and the potential for technology-enabled health solutions to play a role in extending service delivery. On the energy front, renewable energy consumption is substantial, at 79.2% of total final energy consumption (2021), reflecting a heavy reliance on renewables, likely driven by hydro, biomass, and other sources. This renewable bias enhances energy security and offers opportunities for expanding green industries, rural electrification, and climate-resilient infrastructure. Taken together, Cameroon’s infrastructure and technology profile points to considerable opportunities for modernization, especially in transport, digital connectivity, and renewable energy, while also highlighting persistent gaps that constrain competitiveness and service delivery.

Environment and Sustainability

Cameroon displays a profile with substantial renewable energy use and relatively low per-person greenhouse gas emissions, but faces environmental vulnerabilities. Renewable energy consumption accounts for 79.2% of total final energy consumption (2021), indicating strong reliance on renewables that can support lower-carbon development while reducing energy import dependence. Total greenhouse gas emissions per capita, excluding LULUCF, stand at 1.39 t CO2e per person (2023), a figure that is modest by global standards but accumulated emissions are still a function of population size and growth. The level of water stress, measured as freshwater withdrawal relative to available resources, is 1.56 (2021) with a risk ranking of 155, suggesting potential vulnerability in water resource management and the need for careful allocation, climate-resilient planning, and investment in water efficiency. The prevalence of undernourishment is 5.7% (2022), indicating that while most of the population does not suffer chronic hunger, nutrition security remains a concern for vulnerable groups. While life expectancy and health indicators show progress, environmental strategies in Cameroon should emphasize sustainable forestry, land use planning, and resilience to climate variability to sustain long-term development. The country’s risk profile for climate-related shocks remains a critical issue for policymakers as they balance growth, infrastructure, and social protection objectives in a changing environment.