In 2023, Camtel, Orange, and MTN Cameroon invested a total of CFA185 billion to improve their networks. Despite this massive investment, service quality has continued to decline, frustrating many consumers. These figures were revealed on October 11 by Minette Libom Li Likeng, Cameroon’s Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, during a press briefing following her visit to the operators’ facilities. Camtel, the state-owned telecom company, led the investment with CFA117 billion, followed by Orange with CFA38 billion and MTN with CFA30 billion. 

The amount invested in 2023 exceeded the CFA156 billion the operators had initially forecast in December 2022. Despite the larger-than-expected investments, consumers have reported worsening issues, including frequent network interruptions, slow internet, dropped calls, and poor voice quality. “Recently, complaints about service quality have increased. People are facing frequent network outages, slow internet, and bad call quality,” said Minister Libom Li Likeng during the press conference. 

When asked about the reasons for these ongoing problems, the operators and regulators pointed to both internal and external factors. As external issues, they cited power outages, fuel shortages, and repeated disruptions to the fiber optic network managed by Camtel. Internally, delays in expanding fiber connections, insufficient investment in critical areas, poor maintenance of infrastructure, slow response to customer complaints, and overloaded urban networks were highlighted. 

In response, Minister Libom Li Likeng has laid out a series of measures to help improve the telecom sector. She emphasized that quality service in telecommunications is essential for consumer satisfaction and the growth of the digital economy in Cameroon. The minister instructed regulators to enforce stricter compliance with operator contracts, improve collaboration between operators and regulators, upgrade consumer complaint management systems, and better monitor the operators’ infrastructure. 

For Orange and MTN, the government recommended increasing investments in priority areas, targeting key regions with strategic equipment, optimizing the use of the dark fiber provided by Camtel, improving customer service, and enhancing real-time monitoring of network sites. Educating customers on how to use available services was also advised. 

Despite Camtel’s heavy investments CFA117 billion in 2023 and a planned CFA109 billion for 2024 the results have been disappointing. The company has struggled with network expansion and ongoing service quality problems, prompting questions about the effectiveness of its investments. The minister urged Camtel to meet its contractual obligations, protect its infrastructure with physical surveillance mechanisms, offer transparent pricing, and expand its international connectivity options.

Source: Business in Cameroon