Southern Cameroons Crisis: Internet shutdown costs Cameroon 2 billion FCFA ⁰

French NGO Internet Without Borders has reported that in 60 days, the Internet cut in Southern Cameroons has cost 2.69 million euros or nearly 2 billion FCFA to the Cameroonian economy.  The international body also did observe that Southern Cameroons internet shutdown is one of the longest recorded in Africa. Mobile operators, including Orange and MTN were ordered by the Francophone regime to suspend Internet services in the English part of the country.

The situation has been more detrimental for Southern Cameroons entrepreneurs and has completely destroyed the development of a significant number of digital start-ups. Young businessmen such as Churchill Mambe, Njorku, based in Buea, drives everyday to Bonako-a small village in French Cameroon to be able to have access to internet.

Cameroon Concord News understands the Internet cuts have also had a negative and direct influence on national and regional economies, thus delaying progress towards the achievement of development objectives. Financial experts say the cuts present significant risks to investors in the provision of fixed and mobile network infrastructure and that some investors have opted to leave Cameroon. The Minister of Telecommunications, Minette Limbo Li Likeng has maintained a kind of deliberate silence on this recent revelation.

By Fru James