Cameroon: 8.4 million people living below 3-dollar daily survival threshold

According to the CEMAC economic barometer published by the World Bank in August 2026, more than 8.4 million people in Cameroon are living on less than 3 dollars per day. This figure represents approximately 30% of the country's estimated population of 28 million.

In local currency, the 3-dollar threshold equates to roughly 1,800 FCFA per day. This amount is described as a survival threshold rather than a standard poverty line, as it barely covers basic food items such as bananas, fish, and vegetables in markets like Douala, while leaving little to nothing for transportation, healthcare, or education costs.