Safest cities in Cameroon
27 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
Areas the UK FCDO advises against visiting
- Bakassi Peninsula
- Cameroon-Central African Republic border
- Cameroon-Chad border
- Cameroon-Nigeria border
- Far-North Region
- North-West Region
- South-West Region
- Limbé
- North Region, Adamawa Region and Maroua
- Adamawa Region
- a 20km radius to the north, east and west of Maroua
- 30km south of Maroua
- the 35km stretch of the N3 road connecting Limbé to the Littoral Region in Fako Division
In full or in part — the official advisory lists exact boundaries and exceptions.
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in CameroonTerrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Cameroon.
Political situation
- Bomb attacksNon-state armed groups are increasingly using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to target civilians in the North-West and South-West regions and against government forces in the Far-North Region. IEDs have also been seen in the capital Yaoundé.
Crime
- Armed robberyThere is risk of armed robbery and mugging throughout Cameroon, particularly in the cities Yaoundé, Douala, Ngaoundere and Bafoussam.
- Burglary and petty theftClose and lock all doors and windows, particularly at night. Make sure burglar proof metal bars are installed. Identify callers through spy holes before opening doors, especially late at night.
- Unofficial taxisTaxis in cities operate like buses, picking up passengers while there is still room in the car. They often take indirect routes, and many do not meet basic safety requirements. There have been violent assaults and robberies on taxi passengers. Do not hail taxis from the roadside (these are yellow in Yaoundé and Douala). Only use trusted,…
- Violent crime near borders and roadsThere are incidents of carjacking, criminal kidnapping and armed robbery along roads close to the borders with Central African Republic, Chad and Nigeria:
- Criminal kidnappingThere have been incidents of kidnapping and hostage taking for ransom by large gangs in the Far-North, North, Adamawa, East, North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon.
- Adoption scamsScam artists often target foreign visitors and residents. The scams come in many forms and can cause significant financial loss. Scammers also use websites, chatrooms and email to target people and companies in the UK.
Laws and cultural differences
- Personal IDAlways carry ID, either a residence permit or a certified copy of your passport showing a valid visa. The police can detain you if you do not have ID.
- Camouflage clothingIt is illegal to wear camouflage clothing unless you are in the armed forces. Penalties may include a fine and detention.
- Illegal drugs and prison sentencesPenalties for using and possessing drugs are severe and usually include a prison sentence.
- Using cameras in secure areasIt is illegal to photograph military sites, government buildings, airports and ports. While photography elsewhere is not illegal, communities can be sensitive to people taking photos or may ask for money in return. Officials may also ask you for money, perhaps suggesting that you need to pay for a ‘permit’ to photograph certain places.
- LGBT+ travellersSame-sex relationships are not widely accepted in central African society, and same-sex sexual acts are illegal in Cameroon. Same-sex partners have been arrested and prosecuted.
- Wildlife, animal products and souvenirsIt is illegal to buy, sell, kill or capture any protected wild animal or trade its parts without a licence. If you are caught buying or trafficking these goods, you’ll be prosecuted and could get a prison sentence or a fine.
- MoneyIt is difficult to exchange sterling travellers cheques in Cameroon. Many banks will only allow you to exchange travellers cheques if you hold an account with them. Euros and US dollars are the most widely accepted foreign currency.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Cameroon, see information on driving abroad.
- Driving standardsDriving standards are poor in Cameroon.
- RoadblocksPolice and gendarmerie roadblocks are common in Cameroon. You may need to show your passport, driving licence or vehicle registration documents.
- Air travelCamair-Co is the only local airline operating between some of the major cities. Scheduled flights are often delayed or cancellations. Due to aviation safety standards, we advise against taking flights that use the XIAN MA-60, which is used occasionally for internal flights.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Cameroon, updated 2026-02-09 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 6.76 /100k2022
- Income inequality
- Gini 42.22021
- Human development
- HDI 0.5882023
- Income
- $5,700/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 30.2 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 39/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 35/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 26/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 6.7/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.45GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 55.6 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- no dataof population · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 0.1 doctors /1k2.7 hospital beds per 1,000
- Malaria
- 261 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only
Natural hazards
- Flood
- 6.6/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Drought
- 3.4/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is criminalized in Cameroon (as of 2025). This describes the law on the books, not necessarily enforcement practice.
How Cameroon compares
| Measure | Cameroon | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 6.8 /100k | 2.4 /100k | +4.4 /100k — better for World median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 42.2 | 35.2 | +7.0 — better for World median |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.588 | 0.763 | −0.175 — better for World median |
| Road deaths | 30.2 /100k | 15.4 /100k | +14.8 /100k — better for World median |
| Rule of law | 35/100 | 52/100 | −17/100 — better for World median |
| Corruption perceptions | 26/100 | 39/100 | −13/100 — better for World median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 55.6 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | +35.9 µg/m³ — better for World median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 6.7/10 | 3.8/10 | +2.9/10 — better for World median |
| Measure | Cameroon | Africa median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 6.8 /100k | 4.4 /100k | +2.3 /100k — better for Africa median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 42.2 | 38.3 | +4.0 — better for Africa median |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.588 | 0.560 | +0.028 — better for Cameroon |
| Road deaths | 30.2 /100k | 27.9 /100k | +2.3 /100k — better for Africa median |
| Rule of law | 35/100 | 42/100 | −7/100 — better for Africa median |
| Corruption perceptions | 26/100 | 31/100 | −5/100 — better for Africa median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 55.6 µg/m³ | 27.3 µg/m³ | +28.3 µg/m³ — better for Africa median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 6.7/10 | 5.2/10 | +1.5/10 — better for Africa median |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 27 cities, safest first
- Bertoua58.9 · #4525 worldwide
- Ebolowa58.9 · #4526 worldwide
- Kribi58.9 · #4527 worldwide
- Sangmélima58.9 · #4528 worldwide
- Yaoundé55.9 · #4781 worldwide
- Ngaoundéré55.9 · #4782 worldwide
- Mbalmayo55.9 · #4783 worldwide
- Meiganga52.6 · #5047 worldwide
- Yagoua52.1 · #5069 worldwide
- Edéa51.5 · #5106 worldwide
- Kaélé47.7 · #5370 worldwide
- Garoua45.2 · #5527 worldwide
- Douala45.1 · #5533 worldwide
- Limbe45.1 · #5534 worldwide
- Guider45.0 · #5536 worldwide
- Tiko45.0 · #5546 worldwide
- Buea44.9 · #5547 worldwide
- Kumba44.8 · #5554 worldwide
- Nkongsamba44.6 · #5569 worldwide
- Kousseri43.8 · #5621 worldwide
- Foumban41.5 · #5735 worldwide
- Bafoussam41.3 · #5759 worldwide
- Kumbo41.1 · #5764 worldwide
- Bamenda40.6 · #5794 worldwide
- Maroua39.7 · #5831 worldwide
- Mora37.8 · #5905 worldwide
- Mokolo37.8 · #5906 worldwide