Cameroon’s Anglophone regions face rising humanitarian access constraints

Between January and March 2026, the United Nations documented at least 33 access constraints in Cameroon’s North‑West and South‑West (NWSW) regions. Humanitarian operations are repeatedly hampered on Mondays, known locally as “ghost town” days, and during ad‑hoc lockdowns imposed by non‑state armed groups (NSAGs).

NSAGs announced a lockdown to disrupt the February National Youth Day celebrations across both regions and enforced a one‑day lockdown in Widikum (Momo division) that was later extended to a regular weekly Tuesday lockdown. Traffic on the Bamenda–Jakiri corridor was severely disrupted for more than a month, limiting civilian movement.

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) continued to be used, with 19 incidents recorded—13 in the North‑West and six in the South‑West—down from 38 in the same period in 2025. Although humanitarian workers are not direct targets, the placement of IEDs in populated areas and main roads poses a risk to all civilians. In the South‑West, bureaucratic impediments delayed or limited some humanitarian activities. Attacks on education were reported in six incidents in the North‑West and two in the South‑West.