Cameroonians now send and save money on their phones. The country’s regulators want those apps to be safe enough to trust.
About 100 fintech firms met in Mbankomo, in the Centre Region, for a three-day forum. They came to talk about rules, cybersecurity and partnerships. It opened on 28 October 2026. The theme was “Security, Regulation and Strategic Partnerships for an Inclusive Digital Economy.”
The forum is part of Digitise Cameroon 2026. ANTIC leads it, with a non-profit called The Change Engine. ANTIC is the National Agency for Information and Communication Technologies.
At the opening, ANTIC’s Director General, Professor Ebot Ebot Enaw, put security audits at the heart of the talks. He said the agency’s audits and other safeguards keep fintech products safe. Strong security, he added, builds customer trust. That trust drives long-term growth. It would also shield more than 31.5 million active mobile subscriptions from data leaks, fraud and outages.
The forum lets firms swap experience and share good practice. They can also tackle the hard problems facing the sector. Organisers want practical ideas for a digital finance system that is safe and can bounce back.
The money at stake is large. In 2024, digital payments earned over FCFA 1,022 billion. That is 3.16% of Cameroon’s gross domestic product (GDP).
| Cameroon’s digital finance | Figure |
|---|---|
| Digital payment revenue, 2024. | Over FCFA 1,022 billion. |
| Share of GDP. | 3.16%. |
| Active mobile subscriptions. | Over 31.5 million. |
The talks follow a tough year for the sector. In May 2025, the Finance Ministry gave fintechs three months to become licensed payment institutions or stop work. This covered firms in payments, lending and money transfers. It cited fraud, money laundering and consumer protection.
Last year’s forum, held in Douala in November 2025, came after ANTIC audits that reportedly found serious weaknesses in some fintech systems. ANTIC also projected that fintech transactions would pass FCFA 2,607 billion by the end of 2025. That counts transaction value, not revenue. Do not compare the two.
Why it matters: Mobile money is how millions of Cameroonians pay, save and borrow. One big breach can hurt trust in every app at once. Clear rules and regular audits protect users. They also protect honest startups from the damage bad actors cause. Security and compliance are now part of the product, and investors will ask about them. A fintech with a clean audit and a licence has a real edge.
What to watch next: whether the forum sets shared safety standards or an audit plan that firms must follow. Also watch how many fintechs win licences. And watch whether ANTIC shares its audit findings in a way that helps the whole sector improve.
Sources: Tech Africa News, “Cameroon Brings Together 100 Fintech Firms to Strengthen Digital Security,” 30 October 2026; Business in Cameroon on the 2025 fintech workshop and ANTIC audits; Journal du Cameroun on the 2025 Digitize Cameroon edition; Launch Base Africa on the Finance Ministry’s 2025 licensing deadline.
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