Cameroon is stepping up its crackdown on places of worship operating outside the legal framework, signaling the end of years of administrative leniency toward unlicensed churches.

According to the Ministry of Territorial Administration, authorities shut down 1,400 revival churches across the country in 2025. The figure reflects a major escalation in an enforcement campaign that had previously relied mainly on warnings and isolated interventions.

The government’s tougher stance was reaffirmed on July 8, when Territorial Administration Minister Paul Atanga Nji met with leaders of the Evangelical Church “Life and Peace.” The meeting came days after the killing of a young girl in Yaoundé. The main suspect is reportedly a member of the congregation, which is based in Yaoundé IV.

Without linking the crime to the church itself, Atanga Nji said the government has a duty to protect the public and ensure better oversight of religious activities. He also warned that the period of administrative tolerance had come to an end for places of worship that continue to operate outside the law.

A campaign already underway

The latest announcement is not a direct response to the Yaoundé case. It builds on a nationwide campaign launched months earlier against places of worship operating without official authorization or accused of disrupting public order.

In 2025, nearly 200 revival churches were shut down in Yaoundé IV alone. Similar operations were carried out in Yaoundé V and Yaoundé VI, where local authorities targeted congregations operating without legal status or facing repeated complaints over noise.

Across several cities, district officials and security forces have also closed places of worship established in residential neighborhoods, including some operating in buildings that failed to meet safety or urban planning standards.

Only 47 officially recognized religious associations

Under Cameroonian law, a religious association can operate legally only after receiving authorization through a presidential decree following a review by the Ministry of Territorial Administration. According to Atanga Nji, only 47 religious associations currently hold official recognition.

That legal framework contrasts with the rapid growth of revival churches over the past two decades. Many have operated without formal approval, benefiting from an administrative tolerance long justified by freedom of worship and the difficulty of regulating a rapidly changing religious landscape.

The government now says that approach can no longer continue. Authorities cite concerns over the uncontrolled occupation of public spaces, excessive noise, practices viewed as sectarian, allegations of fraud, and forms of undue influence over worshippers. According to estimates cited by the government, more than three million Cameroonians attend these congregations.

Balancing religious freedom and public order

The government’s campaign has received support from many residents, who have long complained about noise from places of worship located in residential neighborhoods. Some religious leaders, however, have voiced concerns about indiscriminate closures and criticized the slow pace of the official recognition process.

The debate therefore extends beyond administrative compliance. It also raises broader questions about the state’s ability to protect freedom of worship while ensuring public safety, preserving public order, and addressing abuses.

By announcing the closure of 1,400 churches in a single year, the government has made clear that freedom of religion will no longer exempt religious organizations from regulatory requirements.

For church leaders, the challenge will be to comply with the legal framework. For the government, the test will be enforcing the policy transparently without turning a regulatory campaign into an arbitrary restriction on religious freedom.

Source: Sbbc