Market Research Companies in Cameroon

Key figures for researchers

Population

about 28.9 million (BUCREP estimate, 2023)¹

Population (World Bank)

about 29.9 million (2025 estimate)²

Last census

2005, when just over 17.4 million people were counted¹

Most populated regions

Far North 19.3%, Centre 18%, Littoral 14.7% (BUCREP, 2023)¹

Official languages

English and French, of equal status³

French speakers

41% of the population (OIF estimate, 2022)⁵

Internet users

46.3% of individuals (2024)⁶

Mobile subscriptions

108 per 100 people (2024)⁷

GDP per capita

about US$1,970 (2025)⁸

Research guide

Research landscape

Most market research agencies and field suppliers are based in Douala and in Yaoundé, the capital. Local independent agencies work alongside offices or partners of international research networks.

Population figures need care. The last general census dates from 2005, when just over 17.4 million people were counted. The census bureau (BUCREP) estimated the population at 28.9 million in 2023, and the World Bank estimate for 2025 is 29.9 million. Agree with your agency which base is used to set quotas and weight the results.

Languages and fieldwork

Cameroon adopts English and French as official languages of equal status. The OIF estimates that 41% of the population speaks French (2022). The North-West and South-West regions are English-speaking and have a special status under Law No. 2019/024, linked in particular to the Anglophone education subsystem and the Common Law system. A national questionnaire therefore needs a French and an English version, and the interviewers’ local languages should be checked for general public targets.

The most populated regions are the Far North (19.3% of the population), the Centre, which includes Yaoundé (18%), and the Littoral, which includes Douala (14.7%) (BUCREP, 2023). Many studies start with Douala and Yaoundé and add regional cities such as Bafoussam, Garoua, Maroua or Ngaoundéré when wider coverage is needed. Security: the UK government advises against all travel to the North-West and South-West regions (except Limbé and the N3 road to the Littoral), to most of the Far North (except the Maroua area), to the Bakassi Peninsula and within 40 km of the Nigeria, Chad and Central African Republic borders, and against all but essential travel to the North region, including Garoua. It reports armed groups, night curfews in some areas and “ghost town” strikes every Monday in the North-West and South-West, with extra days around 11 February, 20 May and 1 October. Check the current advice and your agency’s own access before setting regional quotas.

Which methods work

46.3% of individuals use the internet (2024), and there are 108 mobile subscriptions per 100 people. Online surveys work for urban, younger and educated targets and for B2B; telephone interviews (CATI) reach a wider audience, and face-to-face interviews (CAPI) remain the reference for a representative general population sample.

Focus groups and in-depth interviews are usually held in Douala and Yaoundé. Plan French-language groups for Francophone participants and English-language groups for participants from the North-West and South-West; for groups in the Anglophone regions themselves, check first whether the agency can recruit and work there safely, or plan online sessions. Plan simultaneous or written translation for observers who do not speak the language of the group.

Timing

Plan around Christmas (25 December) and New Year’s Day (1 January). In 2027, public holidays are Youth Day (11 February), Eid al-Fitr (around 10 March), Good Friday (26 March), Labour Day (1 May), Ascension (6 May), Eid al-Adha (around 17 May), National Day (20 May) and Assumption (15 August). Ramadan is expected to start around 8 February 2027 (Islamic dates depend on the moon sighting).

Rainy seasons differ by zone. The Centre, South and East have two rainfall peaks, in May and in September–October; the Littoral and South-West coast get heavy rain with little or no dry season. The North and Far North have a single rainy season, peaking in August. Allow more time for face-to-face fieldwork outside the main cities during the rains.

Data protection

Personal data is governed by Law No. 2024/017 of 23 December 2024 on the protection of personal data, which provides for a supervisory authority, the Autorité de protection des données à caractère personnel (APDP). The compliance period ended on 23 June 2026. Some processing needs the Authority’s prior authorisation, and consent must be explicit and informed.

Transfers abroad are only allowed to countries with an equivalent level of protection, with the regulator’s prior authorisation. Recordings and transcripts of interviews are personal data too: ask your agency how consent is collected, where the files are stored and how the data will be transferred to you.

Working with a local agency

• Share a clear brief: objectives, target, sample size, regions, method, languages and deadline.
• Ask which population base is used for quotas and weighting, since the last census dates from 2005.
• Ask for French and English versions of the questionnaire, and which local languages the interviewers speak.
• Ask which regions the agency can access safely today, and how it handles “ghost town” days and curfews.
• Check how the agency complies with Law 2024/017, including authorisations from the APDP and transfers of data abroad.
• Compare several proposals: you can send one request to up to 5 companies from this page.