Introduction
In Cameroon, 9 out of 10 regions are in the grip of 3 complex and separate humanitarian crises:
Violence and insecurity have forcibly displaced more than 2.2 million people, including internally displaced people, returnees and refugees. 2.8 million of the country’s 28 million people are projected to face acute food insecurity during the 2026 lean season from June to August, and an estimated 535,000 people will need emergency nutrition assistance including 173,000 acutely malnourished children.
These crises, compounded by recurrent severe floods and fire outbreaks, continue to drive large-scale displacement and place significant strain on host communities already sharing scarce resources.
The EU remains a reliable donor of humanitarian aid to help vulnerable people affected by conflict and natural disasters.
Facts & figures
Through its humanitarian efforts, the EU provides vital support to those most in need.
over 2.2 million peopleinternally displaced, refugees and returnees(UNHCR, March 2026)
over 10% of the populationfaces emergency or crisis levels of food insecurity(OCHA, February 2026)
What are the needs?
In 2026, 2.9 million people in Cameroon will need humanitarian aid. This includes:
In 2025, Cameroon topped NRC’s annual list of most neglected displacement crises in the world. It emphasises the lack of humanitarian funding, limited media attention, and insufficient political engagement to end conflict.
The humanitarian situation in conflict-affected areas remains dire while insecurity, poor road conditions and devastating floods continue to hinder access. Food insecurity remains severe, with 2,85 million people – over 10% of the population - facing crisis or emergency levels.
The Lake Chad crisis in the country’s Far North
The Lake Chad conflict continues to affect Cameroon’s Far North region, where civilians face killings, looting, destruction, theft of property and cattle, as well as kidnappings. 125,000 refugees from neighbouring Nigeria and more than 510,000 Cameroonians are displaced within the region. Farmers struggle to cultivate, families face food shortages, and women and girls are vulnerable to sexual and gender-based violence. Recently, over 16,000 people were displaced following armed incursions in Logone-et-Chari, destructive fires in Mayo Sava, and localised insecurity in Makary.
The Far North is also prone to climate hazards, such as drought and floods, and to disease outbreaks, like cholera, measles and Mpox. In 2024, the Far North divisions of Mayo-Danay and Logone and Chari saw the highest historical levels of floods, with about 450,000 people affected.
Shelter and access to food and drinking water are the main humanitarian priorities in the region while healthcare remains limited.
The Anglophone crisis in the North-West and South-West regions
In the Anglophone North-West and South-West regions political tensions have escalated into violent clashes, resulting in a full-scale humanitarian crisis since 2017. The conflict has displaced over 580,000 people in these regions, with more than 76,000 Cameroonians seeking refuge in neighbouring Nigeria, and spillover effects in the West and Littoral regions.
Thousands continue to suffer from human rights violations and abuses, including kidnapping, sexual and gender-based violence, and targeted killings, while widespread insecurity - banditry, looting, extortion, improvised explosive devices - fuels a climate of fear.
Food, education, livelihoods and access to safe drinking water are top priorities for the displaced population here. The education sector is particularly hard hit by the protracted insecurity and attacks on students, staff and schools. Approximately 45% of schools remain non-functional, disrupting learning and exacerbating protection risks.
In 2026, an estimated 933,000 school-age children in crisis-affected regions, the North-West, South-West and Far North, will require emergency education support.
The refugee crisis from the neighbouring Central African Republic
Since 2013, violence in neighbouring Central African Republic has led to a massive influx of refugees into Cameroon’s East, North and Adamawa regions, which were already vulnerable. There are currently 285,000 Central African refugees in Cameroon. Most of them live in local communities, placing additional strain on basic services and local resources.
How are we helping?
In 2026, the EU has allocated an initial €17 million in humanitarian assistance to support the most vulnerable, including dedicated funding for education in emergencies and disaster preparedness.
In February 2026, the EU swiftly approved emergency funding of €485,000 for the Red Cross to assist displaced people affected by fires in Kolofata (Far North region) and to provide emergency cash to households impacted by worsening food insecurity across the country.
The EU allocated €18 million in humanitarian aid in 2025, and €28 million in 2024 during a year of widespread and devastating floods.
Since 2017, the EU has allocated over €220 million in humanitarian aid to the country. EU-funded actions in Cameroon are supporting:
- internally displaced Cameroonians
- refugees from Nigeria
- most vulnerable host communities
EU humanitarian aid focuses on providing food assistance, nutrition, healthcare, shelter, education, disaster preparedness, protection and safe drinking water and sanitation.
Immediate humanitarian assistance for newly displaced people and refugees remains crucial. However, due to the prolonged nature of the displacement, aid efforts are also focused on improving livelihoods, promoting self-reliance, and providing support for durable solutions, linking up with EU development programmes.
This page was last updated on 25 April 2025