37. cameroon

Region

Africa

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Christian population

17 443 000 (57.8%)

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Main relegion

Christianity

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Main threats

• Dictatorial paranoia
• Islamic oppression
• Organised corruption and crime

Total score

70%

Pressure

64.9%

Violence

96.7%

Followers of Jesus in Cameroon can face persecution on multiple fronts. In the northern regions, Islamic extremism is spreading, as violence by Boko Haram and other Islamic militant groups targets Christians. Believers in this area can face abductions, church burnings and exclusion from community life. Converts from Islam face severe risks – owning a Bible can provoke violence, and women are often forced into marriage.

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Additionally, pressure comes from instability. Clan-based control, organised crime and corruption further deepen Christians’ vulnerability, especially where state authority is absent or complicit. Under broad anti-terror laws, Christians who speak out against state abuses face surveillance, intimidation or even arrest. Hundreds of churches that criticised the regime have been closed.

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Challenges to government inaction in the face of jihadist and clan-based persecution usually provoke reprisals. This has fostered a climate of fear and has silenced Christian leadership, weakening community resilience and access to justice.