Cameroon’s mobile money revolution

According to the National Institute of Statistics (INS) of Cameroon, in Cameroon, mobile money has become one of the fastest-growing financial tools, reshaping how individuals, traders and small businesses send, receive and manage money. With millions of users now relying on services such as MTN Mobile Money and Orange Money, digital payments are increasingly replacing cash in everyday transactions.

In March 2026, a regional update from the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), published through its CEMAC payment systems monitoring report, confirmed that Cameroon remains the dominant mobile money market in Central Africa, accounting for over 60% of mobile money accounts and more than 63% of transaction volumes in the CEMAC zone. 

The same data shows that in 2024, Cameroon alone handled 26,773 billion FCFA in mobile money transactions, representing the largest share of digital financial flows in the region.  

This growth is driven by mobile network operators (MTN Mobile Money and Orange Money) expanding agent networks and enabling faster digital payments across cities like Yaoundé, Douala, Bafoussam, and Bamenda.

According to BEAC’s 2026 update on payment systems, mobile money is now used across both informal and formal sectors, including daily market transactions, school fee payments, business transfers, salary payments in small enterprises, retail purchases.

A major shift confirmed in 2025–2026 is the expansion into formal retail chains, where supermarkets such as DOVV and Santa Lucia now accept mobile money payments directly at checkout counters, integrating digital finance into mainstream commerce.

This reflects a structural change, which is that, mobile money is no longer just a peer-to-peer tool, it is now part of Cameroon’s retail economy.