Cameroon civil society urges persuasive, not punitive govt approach to drive ID adoption

Cameroonian civil society organizations are asking the government to make some legislative changes that could also change the perception citizens have about the necessity of the national ID card they are being called upon to obtain.

This is the view shared by the National Coordinator of the Cameroon Network of Human Rights Organizations (RECODH) – a Yaounde-based human rights advocacy group – Joseph Désiré Zebaze, during a panel discussion at ID4Africa 2025 which focused on how to build trust and dignity in national ID systems.

For context, a law enacted in Cameroon in 1990 currently criminalizes the non-possession of a national ID card, which means that citizens seeking to have the identity document often do so more for fear of police harassment, rather than for the practical uses cases the ID card serves.

The lack of a national ID card in Cameroon means a citizen is locked out of several public and private sector services, complicating their daily lives.

Zebaze said it is their conviction that there is need for a more persuasive approach in driving national ID card adoption in Cameroon, and this he says, requires a lot of sensitization efforts as well as stronger collaboration with civil society organizations.

“Cameroon’s national ID system is a dynamic one with constant changes. However, we still have concerns because the legal framework has not yet been updated to reflect these changes,” he said.

“There is still a provision in the law, specifically the 1990 law on ID cards, that allows for someone to be arrested and even imprisoned for three months to one year, and fined between 50,000 and 100,000 CFA francs, simply for not having their ID card during a police or gendarmerie check,” he said.

Specifically, Section 1(2) of the legislation (Law No. 19-42 of 19 December 1990 instituting a national ID card in Cameroon) states that “possession of a national identity card shall be compulsory throughout the country for all citizens aged 18 or more.”

Section 5 (V) of the same legislation states: “Whoever does not possess a national identity card shall be punished with imprisonment for from three months to one year or with fine of from XFA 50,000 (US$80) to XAF 100,000 (US$160) or with both such imprisonment and fine.”

To Zebaze, there is an absolute need to change the narrative given the dynamic context of things.

“We need to move away from a system that fosters fear of the police to one that prioritizes people’s rights and emphasizes the benefits associated with having an ID card,” he holds.

“For example, people living with disabilities need an ID card to obtain a national disability card. Similarly, the right to vote depends on having a valid ID card. The same applies to access to social insurance and universal health coverage, among many other things.”

He goes on that changing the narrative also entails “building an inclusive system where the population is well-informed, and where communication flows through civil society organizations.”

“The civil society in Cameroon should not just be seen as passive participants who echo messages but should be active contributors at the decision-making table. As civil society leaders, we have been instrumental in advocating for the changes already underway,” he said, emphasizing that there is need for “real, open dialogue with policymakers” on the issue.

Among those Zebaze believes can trigger the shift they are advocating for are lawmakers. One of them, Hon Sambo Galdima, attended ID4Africa as Secretary General of the Parliamentary Network for the Promotion of Civil Registration in Cameroon. He told Biometric Update in a chat that the country is generally on the right path, but efforts have to be ramped up, if meaningful progress must be augmented.

“Achieving real progress in identity systems requires significant effort in digitalization, public awareness, and most importantly, a strong political will. We have to keep up with other countries that are far advanced on this,” he said.

“Based on the experiences shared here [at ID4Africa AGM], it’s clear that there’s still a lot of work for us in Cameroon to do. We’ll have to get straight back to work, raise awareness among the public, and lead more advocacy at the government level in order to push forward efforts in this area.”

Obtaining a national ID card in Cameroon has been a major headache in Cameroon for many years until early this year when the government launched a new system where ID cards are issued within 48 hours after a successful application.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometrics  |  Cameroon  |  digital identity  |  identity document  |  legislation  |  national ID