• Cameroon has approved a $195 million loan from China’s Exim Bank to extend its national fiber network.
• The financing will support phase four of the country’s fiber backbone expansion.
• Despite over 15,000 km of fiber installed, internet access remains limited for many users.

Cameroon’s President Paul Biya signed a decree on Friday, March 6 authorizing the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development to finalize a loan agreement of about 1.35 billion yuan (around $195 million) with the Export-Import Bank of China. The funding will support phase four of the country’s national fiber optic backbone expansion.

A fiber network built gradually since 2011

The financing continues Cameroon’s national fiber deployment program, launched more than a decade ago to build a nationwide data transport network. According to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, about 6,000 km of fiber were installed between 2011 and 2016 during the first two phases of the project.

A third phase completed in 2017 added another 4,000 km, bringing the national network to around 10,000 km. An additional 1,000 km were deployed along the Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline.

Since then, further extensions, cross-border interconnections, and additional deployments by public and private operators have continued to expand the network. Cameroon now has more than 15,000 km of fiber infrastructure connecting regions across the country and linking with several neighboring states, including Chad, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, and Nigeria.

Infrastructure still underused

Despite the steady expansion of this infrastructure over the past decade, its use remains limited, and the quality of connectivity continues to draw criticism from users.

According to DataReportal’s latest figures for early 2026, internet penetration in Cameroon stands at about 45%. The data highlight a gap between a relatively strong backbone network and limited last-mile access for many of the country’s 12.6 million internet users.

Phase four of the project is expected to address these disparities by expanding distribution networks to better connect government institutions, businesses, and rural areas that remain poorly served.

A strategic pillar for the digital economy

Completing the national backbone is seen as a key step for the growth of Cameroon’s digital economy and the structural transformation outlined in the country’s National Development Strategy 2020–2030.

Expanding fiber infrastructure is considered essential for supporting tech startups, digital services, e-commerce platforms, and the digitalization of public services.

The renewed partnership with the Export-Import Bank of China, which has already financed several earlier phases of the project, underscores the government’s ambition to strengthen nationwide coverage and accelerate digital inclusion.

Samira Njoya