Cameroon has turned to mobile money platforms to pay more than 30,000 temporary workers participating in upcoming national census operations, authorities said, marking a significant shift toward digital payments in public administration.
The country’s National Institute of Statistics (INS) signed partnership agreements with telecom operators MTN Cameroon and Orange Cameroon to facilitate electronic salary payments for agents engaged in the general population census and the agriculture and livestock census.
Officials say the move is aimed at improving payment transparency, reducing logistical bottlenecks and expanding financial inclusion, particularly for workers operating in rural and remote areas.
The agreements were signed in the capital Yaoundé on Wednesday as part of the World Bank-financed Harmonisation and Improvement of Statistics in West and Central Africa (HISWACA) project, which seeks to modernise statistical systems and strengthen data governance across participating countries between 2025 and 2029.
INS Director General Joseph Tedou said the adoption of mobile money payments would ensure faster and more secure remuneration for census personnel deployed nationwide.
“This collaboration will guarantee smooth and fluid payment mechanisms for agents working on the censuses,” Tedou said during the signing ceremony, adding that earlier assessments had identified weaknesses in traditional payment systems that often delayed compensation.
Cameroon has previously experimented with electronic payments, but officials noted that the scale of the upcoming census — involving tens of thousands of temporary staff — required a more robust and decentralised financial solution.
Under the agreement, Orange Money will oversee payments for more than 3,000 personnel working under the population census programme. According to Orange Money Director General William Nlembe, the company will open mobile money accounts for all beneficiaries and enable withdrawals through a nationwide distribution network exceeding 100,000 service points.
The initiative is expected to reduce reliance on cash disbursements, which have historically exposed large public operations to risks including payment delays, administrative inefficiencies and fraud.
Meanwhile, MTN Mobile Money Corporation will support payments for the remaining census workforce through its network of more than 150,000 mobile money outlets across the country.
MTN’s General Manager Alain Nono said the system would allow census agents to receive salaries and per diems directly on their mobile wallets without travelling long distances to urban centres or banking facilities.
Each agent will also gain access to additional digital financial services, including international transactions through virtual payment cards linked to mobile wallets, he added.
The transition reflects a broader government effort to digitise public financial management while extending formal financial services to underserved populations. Mobile money adoption has expanded rapidly across Central Africa in recent years, driven by limited banking penetration and rising mobile phone usage.
Representatives from the World Bank, the United Nations Population Fund and the Food and Agriculture Organization attended the ceremony, underscoring the international backing behind Cameroon’s statistical reform agenda.
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Authorities say improved census data will play a crucial role in economic planning, agricultural policy design and social service delivery under Cameroon’s 2020–2030 National Strategy for the Development of Statistics.
Analysts note that digital payment systems tied to large-scale government programmes can accelerate financial inclusion by onboarding thousands of previously unbanked workers into formal payment ecosystems.
Beyond operational efficiency, officials believe the initiative could serve as a model for future public-sector payments, including social transfers, agricultural subsidies and temporary employment programmes.
The HISWACA project aims to enhance data access, regional harmonisation and evidence-based policymaking across West and Central Africa, as governments increasingly rely on accurate statistical systems to guide development planning.
Cameroon’s adoption of mobile money for census payments signals a growing convergence between digital finance and governance reforms, reflecting a wider continental shift toward technology-driven public service delivery.
