Access to housing in Douala and Cameroon: a daily headache for millions of families

When finding a roof becomes a struggle

In Douala, the economic capital of Cameroon, the story often repeats itself: after weeks of searching, dozens of phone calls, and unsuccessful visits, families end up accepting housing that is too small, too expensive, or too far from the city center. And this problem extends far beyond the city: throughout the country, finding decent housing can sometimes be a real feat.

For Marie, a mother of three, the search is a nightmare: “It's been four months since I started looking. They're asking for six months' rent in advance, which is 900,000 FCFA for a rent of 150,000 FCFA. How can a family with a monthly salary of 80,000 FCFA gather such a sum? It's impossible. We're on the street.”

Limited supply, a saturated market

The supply of formal housing built with permits, serviced, and compliant with standards is insufficient. Public projects are advancing slowly and represent only a drop in the ocean compared to the actual needs. According to estimates from the Ministry of Housing, there is a shortage of more than 1.5 million homes in the country, a number that continues to grow each year. The majority of housing comes from self-construction, often without running water, sanitation, and in high-risk areas.

This shortage causes fierce competition. Well-located apartments are gone in a few days, sometimes before construction is even finished. Owners then impose their conditions: high rents, large deposits, and strict requirements. Why do some solutions always seem out of reach despite the apparent abundance of supply?

Rents and practices that exclude

In the rental market, the obstacle is not only the rent amount but also the deposits required. Two, three, sometimes six months' rent at once: for a modest household, raising such a sum is almost impossible. A recent survey indicates that more than 70% of households in Douala struggle to pay the deposits demanded by landlords. This practice pushes some toward lower-quality, sometimes unsanitary housing, or unstable temporary solutions like improvised flatsharing.

Added to this is the gap between supply and actual needs: large families relegated to studios, young professionals forced to live far from their workplace, and students struggling to find a secure and affordable room. How can one effectively navigate this labyrinth to find housing that is truly suited to their needs and budget?

The visible consequences

By pushing the city's boundaries, residents are settling in peripheral areas, often poorly served by public transportation. Commutes lengthen, transportation expenses increase, and the quality of life deteriorates. In precarious neighborhoods, the lack of infrastructure exposes families to floods, diseases, and insecurity.

Why do these areas often remain the only accessible ones for a large part of the population? What would be the alternatives to reduce these daily frustrations?

Toward solutions, or the quest for an effective system

Potential avenues exist: facilitating access to rental land, encouraging housing programs adapted to real needs, regulating the deposits required by landlords, and investing heavily in basic infrastructure.

But how can these solutions be made truly accessible and effective for everyone? What mechanisms would simplify this search, which today seems so complex and time-consuming?

In short, the housing crisis in Douala and Cameroon is not just a matter of numbers: it is a question of dignity, stability, and the future for millions of people. And behind every daily frustration lies the question: how can we finally make this quest for suitable housing less difficult?