Technology

Cameroon signals urgency on biometric voter ID collection as presidential vote nears

11/09/2025

Calls are multiplying from officials of Cameroon’s elections management agency (ELECAM) across the country for registered voters to take possession of their biometric voter cards in a move that has been considered a race against time.

The election agency is now racing to distribute both backlogged old cards and newly printed ones as the country’s presidential election is just a month away. Some of the uncollected cards date back to 2018 and even older, officials say.

Cameroonians are due to elect a new president on October 12 in an election that has incumbent President Paul Biya and 11 other candidates in the race.

According to ELECAM, hundreds of thousands of biometric voter cards remain uncollected at its decentralized offices across the nation, and officials are said to be using door-to-door campaigns, mobile teams, and council area commissions to get these cards to their owners.

Registered voters without voter cards will not be able to cast their ballot on polling day, ELECAM warns.

In the Littoral Region, for example, officials say there are more than 350,000 cards still uncollected, as officials intensify strategies to make sure they meet registered citizens through proximity methods.

In the South Region, the Regional Delegate of ELECAM told state broadcaster, CRTV, recently that they received more than 115,000 voter cards from the Directorate General of ELECAM covering the period 2021-2024, but that just around 50,000 cards have been collected.

Of the total number of cards collected for distribution in the South West Region, just around 48 percent of them have been handed over to their owners, the ELECAM Regional Delegate for that region, Zofoa Njoya Sake, told Biometric Update in a chat.

He said of the 66,515 cards received, about 31,861 of them have been distributed, while more than 34,000 others remain to withdrawn by their owners. Nonetheless, he said they have received logistical support to enable them clear the backlog of uncollected cards.

In the past weeks, ELECAM’s teams say they have been working in collaboration with members of commissions charged with the issuance and distribution of voter cards in all council areas to ramp up collection.

Their efforts are intended to make sure that all registered voters receive their cards before election day on October 12.

Cameroon’s electoral law states that biometric voter cards issued to registered voters shall be permanent, and can only be replaced in the case of loss or damage.

Apart from voter card distribution, ELECAM says it is also currently in the process of deduplicating the biometric voter registry which has around 8.2 million registered voters.

In May, ELECAM announced that it took delivery of new biometric gear to support voter registration for the presidential election. It also trained some of its staff on the effective use of the devices.

Cameroon introduced a biometric voter registration system in 2012 with a first set of 1,200 kits supplied then by German firm Giesecke and Devrient. Other kits were later purchased from GenKey and Veridos, according to ELECAM sources.

Source: Biometricupdate.com

Cameroon concludes AI training for indigenous people

11/08/2025

Cameroon on Saturday concluded a weeklong training for indigenous people in artificial intelligence (AI) as part of activities to mark the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.

Minister of Social Affairs Pauline Irene Nguene said the Central African nation is working to ensure that indigenous people benefit from the opportunities provided by the advent of AI.

“Indigenous people should not be left out in the changing world. It is their right to learn and apply AI. That is why this training contributes to the fight against social exclusion,” Nguene said in Yaoundé, the country’s capital, while awarding certificates at the end of the training.

Efforts are underway to establish a tiered AI education system to guide indigenous people in rural areas from foundational cognitive awareness to practical technological innovation, according to Cameroonian officials.

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is commemorated annually on Aug. 9, with this year’s theme being “Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures.”

Source: Xinhuanet

Biya regime holds forum on AI opportunities, challenges

08/07/2025

A two-day forum opened in Cameroon on Monday to discuss the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) for the Central African country.

According to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, which organized the event, the forum aims to define a national strategy for AI by establishing a solid ethical and regulatory framework that respects the country’s cultural and social values.

“Faced with the challenges of the 21st century, artificial intelligence represents a strategic lever to accelerate Cameroon’s emergence. This event embodies our desire to position AI as a lever for governance, growth, and digital sovereignty, in a spirit of inclusive transformation serving national emergence,” said Minette Libom Li Likeng, minister of posts and telecommunications, while opening the forum in the national capital of Yaounde.

The forum is being held under the theme: “Promoting an Inclusive and Sustainable Digital Economy through the Mobilization of Artificial Intelligence for an Emerging Cameroon.”

Technology experts in the country have urged for greater innovation, improved digital connectivity, and equitable access to AI.

Source: Xinhuanet

Chinese solar products light up lives of Cameroonians

19/06/2025

Power shortage had long been a pain for Emmanuel Tabe, a resident of Buea, the chief town of Cameroon’s Southwest Region.

“Sometimes we did not have power for two or three weeks. The refrigerator didn’t work. Food was getting bad every day, and my children couldn’t study at night,” said the 44-year-old father of four.

That has now become a thing of the past, thanks to solar products from China.

These days, streetlights powered by solar systems are a common sight in Buea, where Tabe is fondly known as “the China solar man.”

About eight years ago, he learned about solar products and started travelling to China to buy and sell them to locals in Cameroon.

His family now relies on solar power for lighting, cooking and air conditioning. “One major advantage is that we have power all day long,” Tabe said.

At his home warehouse, solar panels, batteries, and inverters are all made in China. “Most solar products in Cameroon come from China,” he said. “If you use them properly, they last a long time.”

“Prices are very affordable. Installing solar is not expensive,” Tabe said.

Dickson Njamshi, who also deals in solar products in Buea, said people now feel much safer at night, with well-functioning streetlights.

“People were afraid to go out at night due to the darkness. Now, people are out and about at night, and the nighttime economy is also growing,” he said.

“Solar energy has brought life to Buea, and I think it is getting better,” said the 33-year-old whose shop is just a few meters from Tabe’s.

Marie Njie, who came to buy a solar battery from Njamshi’s shop, said solar products from China have made life much easier.

“I pump water and cook using solar power. It’s very easy and affordable. I no longer wait for electricity,” she said.

Another customer, 28-year-old Dieudonne Mbah, concurred: “Since the advent of these solar panels, we have enjoyed uninterrupted power day and night. Children now study at night, and everything is just so easy-going.”

In the capital, Yaounde, Wilmosolar prides itself as one of Cameroon’s biggest solar engineering firms.

The company imports two to four containers of solar products a year from China, said Arnaud Igor Tchokote, Wilmosolar’s marketing director.

“China is the leader in the production of photovoltaic solar panels. By importing from China, we do so at a lower cost compared to importing from Europe or America,” he said. “China provides us with good quality panels at a lower cost.”

The introduction of solar products from China has ushered in a golden era of regular electricity supply, greatly boosting Cameroon’s quest to increase electricity production and boost industrialization, Tchokote said.

“More than three years ago, there were fewer than 100 companies operating in the photovoltaic sector. Today, there are more than 200, and these 200 companies employ young Cameroonians, who also contribute in their own way to the growth of the economy while filling the energy deficit gap in our country,” he said.

“This is a plus for us. It contributes both economically and socially,” Tchokote said. “China is the leading supplier of all equipment. It’s a plus for us to approach China, and it’s beneficial for both parties.”

Tabe said the demand for electricity will continue to rise in Cameroon, and clean energy will play a vital role in the country’s drive for industrialization.

According to the Ministry of Water and Energy, Cameroon aims to expand its solar capacity to 250 megawatts by the year 2030.

Source: Xinhuanet

Telecom regulator announces audit of National Fiber Optic Network

12/09/2024

The Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ART) announces that it has received directives from the government to conduct an operational audit of the national fiber optic network. This decision follows a “continuous deterioration in the quality of mobile electronic communication services provided by mobile operators MTN Cameroon, Orange Cameroun, and Camtel to their 2G/3G/4G network subscribers,” the regulator stated in a communiqué dated September 11, 2024.

In this document, ART Director General Philémon Zo’o Zame explained that inspections conducted by his agency uncovered several issues contributing to this “disruption.” These include insufficient electrical power for operators’ infrastructure, challenges in fuel supply for technical sites—particularly in major cities—and repeated breaks in fiber optic cables.

The government-ordered audit aims to assess the current state of the national fiber optic network, which is crucial for ensuring the proper functioning of telecommunications services. Preliminary results indicate that the network is experiencing “continuous degradation.” Consequently, the maintenance conditions of the network require urgent reevaluation. “Given this situation, public authorities are determined not only to improve the maintenance conditions of the national network but also to rehabilitate and expand it to achieve better performance,” the ART Director General stated. He also emphasized that ART will continue to closely monitor the implementation of annual investment plans by telecom operators, which are designed to expand network coverage and enhance service quality across the country.

This announcement comes amidst growing dissatisfaction among telecom service users. On August 28, the International Consumer Association (Asicom) criticized the poor quality of internet and communication services provided by Orange and MTN. According to Business in Cameroon, a the association urged the government to impose sanctions. A report by the French Development Agency (AFD) on digital freedoms in 26 Francophone African countries, published in May 2023, highlighted that despite an increase in internet penetration from 21% to 38% between 2016 and 2020, Cameroonians continue to face “prohibitive prices” for services of “variable quality.” The report also noted that MTN and Orange experience an average of 60 network disruptions per year, each lasting between 30 minutes and two hours.

The decline in telecom services in Cameroon is not a new issue, and the government is well aware of it. Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Minette Libom Li Likeng has repeatedly expressed concern about the declining quality of electronic communication services in the country. These concerns have led to calls for sanctions, following widespread frustration over the continuous deterioration of telecom services. In late April 2023, a social media campaign was launched to protest against poor service quality and the perceived high costs of communication and Internet packages, particularly those offered by Orange and MTN. The operators, in turn, attributed the decline in service to frequent fiber optic interruptions and electricity supply issues.

Source: Sbbc

World Bank wants to strengthen Cameroon’s digital infrastructure

04/08/2024

An Expression of Interest (EOI) announcement has been published by the World Bank seeking a contractor for a project that aims to strengthen the Cameroon government’s cybersecurity architecture.

Opened on July 29, interested candidates with expertise in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have up to August 12 at midnight, local time, to submit their EOI forms.

According to the notice, the firm to be eventually selected will carry out analyses and draft reports to help increase the capacity of the government and local stakeholders in assessing and managing cybersecurity risks for the country’s digital infrastructure.

In addition, these analyses and reports are also expected to help “improve the enabling environment for secure, trusted electronic transactions through improved regulatory framework for e-signature and implementation of a sustainable and scalable PKI architecture.”

The World Bank insists that those interested in participating in the bidding process must show proof of their competence through documented evidence. This must include information confirming that they are qualified, information about the firm’s technical and managerial capabilities, its core business operations and duration in business, as well as information on the qualification of its staff.

At the close of the EOI window in under two weeks, a shortlist of the best candidates will then be published for their bid files to be submitted.

The move by the Cameroon government to fortify its cybersecurity foundations is part of the country’s broader digital transformation plans. It specifically aligns with the Project to Accelerate Digital Transformation in Cameroon (PATNuC) which has the modernization of digital infrastructure and enhancement of digital trust as one of its core components. The initiative has the financial and technical accompaniment of a number of international development partners and donors.

Cameroon has a cybersecurity law enacted in December 2010, but digital rights advocates have since called for its revision to match the changes in the digital space such as the emergence of generative artificial intelligence.

The country is also yet to ratify the Malabo Convention, otherwise known as the African Union Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection – a legislation adopted by African Union member states in 2014. It outlines an eclectic legal framework for addressing several issues related to cybersecurity, personal data protection and cybercrime.

Source: Biometricupdate

Google to delete incognito search data to end privacy suit

01/04/2024

Google has agreed to delete a vast trove of search data to settle a suit that it tracked millions of US users who thought they were browsing the internet privately.

If a proposed settlement filed Monday in San Francisco federal court is approved by a judge, Google must “delete and/or remediate billions of data records” linked to people using the Chrome browser’s incognito mode, according to court documents.

“This settlement is an historic step in requiring dominant technology companies to be honest in their representations to users about how the companies collect and employ user data, and to delete and remediate data collected,” lawyer David Boies said in the filing.

A hearing is slated for July 30 before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who is to decide whether to approve the deal that would let Google avoid a trial in the class-action suit.

The settlement calls for no cash damages to be paid but leaves an option for Chrome users who feel they were wronged to sue Google separately to get money.

The suit originally filed in June of 2020 sought at least $5 billion in damages.

“We are pleased to settle this lawsuit, which we always believed was meritless,” Google spokesman Jorge Castaneda said in a statement.

“We are happy to delete old technical data that was never associated with an individual and was never used for any form of personalization.”

The object of the lawsuit was the “Incognito Mode” in the Chrome browser that plaintiffs said gave users a false sense that what they were surfing online was not being tracked by the Silicon Valley tech firm.

But internal Google emails brought forward in the lawsuit demonstrated that users using incognito mode were being followed by the search and advertising behemoth for measuring web traffic and selling ads.

The lawsuit, filed in a California court, claimed Google’s practices had infringed on users’ privacy by intentionally deceiving them with the incognito option.

The original complaint alleged that Google had been given the “power to learn intimate details about individuals’ lives, interests, and internet usage.”

“Google has made itself an unaccountable trove of information so detailed and expansive that George Orwell could never have dreamed it,” it added.

The settlement requires Google, for the next five years, to block third-party tracking “cookies” by default in Incognito Mode.

Third-party cookies are small files which are used to target advertising by tracking web navigation and are placed by visited sites and not by the browser itself.

No cookies?

Google earlier this year began limiting third-party cookies for some users of its Chrome browser, a first step towards eventually abandoning the files that have raised privacy concerns.

Google announced in January 2020 that it would begin eliminating third-party cookies within two years, but the start has been delayed several times amid opposition from web media publishers.

Cookies have recently been subject to greater regulation, including the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation introduced in 2016 as well as regulations in California.

Source: AFP

CPDM Crime Syndicate: Yaoundé launches full-cycle biometric voter registration

09/01/2024

The biometric voter registration drive for 2024 in Cameroon has gone underway, with officials of the elections managing agency (ELECAM) hoping to take the voter registration figure to 7.5 million in total. The body says it registered 368, 119 new potential voters in 2023.

This is the last full-cycle voter registration exercise before the central African nation holds general elections constitutionally scheduled for 2025. In principle, the country is set to have four elections next year. They are Municipal Council, National Assembly, Presidential and Regional Council polls.

Cameroon’s electoral law, in Section 74, states that voter registration shall be an annual exercise which runs from January 1 to August 31 very year. In an election year, the exercise cannot run full-length as it automatically ends whenever the President of the Republic convenes the electorate for a given election.

In 2025, the electorates of National Assembly and Municipal Council elections are expected to be called way before August, meaning the voter registration exercise will end before the traditional August 31 deadline.

“I know this is the last year that we have up to eight months to enroll our names on the voter’s register. I don’t like last-minute rushes. So, I just decided to enrollment my name on the register now,” said Joel Mvogo, a young Cameroonian who was registered by a mobile team from ELECAM on January 4. That day, the 2024 voter registration exercise was officially launched by the Director General of Elections at ELECAM, Dr Erik Essousse, who led a caravan to various public squares in the capital Yaounde to enroll new voters.

In an interview after launching the exercise, Essousse said like in 2023, their ambition this year is to enroll more women, young people who have attained voting age, as well as persons living with disabilities.

While expressing optimism that their target will be reached because of the level of mobilisation of ELECAM staff, he urged other stakeholders in the electoral process such as civil society organisations, leaders of political parties and the mass media to support ELECAM in its drive.

“We want to swell up the voter’s list by registering people who have just reached the age of voting which is 20. Like in the past, we expect the media to accompany us by encouraging all young Cameroonians who have reached voting age to show up and register,” said Essousse.

“With over 7 million people already in our registry, our objective this year is to hit the 7.5 million threshold, and why not even surpass it,” he added.

As part of the launch, enrollment teams were dispatched to all the seven districts of Yaounde. Makeshift registration booths were set up at various locations in the city as citizens desirous of enlisting their names on the voter’s registry, had the chance to do so.

In other administrative regions of the country, the exercise has also gone underway with ELECAM regional delegates promising to increase the registration figures in their respective jurisdictions.

One major issue hindering massive voter registration in Cameroon has been the lack of ID cards.

ELECAM’s Chairman, Abrams Enow Egbe, in 2022, expressed the wish to have ID cards issuance accelerated so that many citizens will be able to register and voter in the upcoming general elections.

Source: Biometrics Update

Dion Ngute says Biya regime working to boost cybersecurity

18/10/2023

Cameroon is stepping up measures to curb cybercrime, which remains a challenge in the Central African nation, Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute said Tuesday.

“We are aware that the gains of a viable digital economy can only be effective if cyberspace is healthy and free from hackers and extremists,” Ngute said in the national capital of Yaounde while officially opening Digital Week Cameroon. “The government is strengthening its cyber defense mechanisms through legislation, technology, and communication about potential dangers. This is an issue that continues to challenge all stakeholders.”

Organized by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization (CTO) in partnership with the Cameroonian government, Digital Week Cameroon seeks to unveil the country’s digital potential and boost cooperation among member countries.

“(Cameroonian young innovators) have the enthusiasm with amazing applications … that can help accelerate Cameroon’s digital transformation journey,” said Bernadette Lewis, secretary general of the CTO.

There is a need for universal access to information and communications technology, with particular emphasis on the inclusion of women and people living with disabilities, Ngute said.

Source: Xinhuanet

Afreximbank to Finance €56M Cameroonian Solar Initiative

24/04/2023

Pan-African financial institution the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has committed €56 million towards a rural electrification initiative in Cameroon.

The funding will enable the construction of up to 87 off-grid solar photovoltaic systems across 200 localities in the country, electrifying 1,000 localities with clean power. The financing package was signed by Georges Elombi, Executive Vice President of Afreximbank and Alamine Ousmane Mey, Cameroon’s Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development.

The package aims to address the disparities between urban and rural electrification, which currently stands at 65% and 25%, respectively.

The financing forms part of a broader electrification initiative launched by Chinese technology company Huawei in 2016, which to date has provided access to electricity to over 26,000 households across 350 villages in the country.

Representing the third phase of the project, the Afreximbank-financed initiative will bring not only improve access to power but help diversify the country’s energy mix.

Source: energycapitalpower

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