By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
State-owned telecommunications provider Cameroon Telecommunications (CAMTEL) has received a major consignment of hardware aimed at expanding mobile coverage across the nation.
The shipment arrived Sept. 17 at the deep water port of Kribi as part of the company’s Mobile Network Expansion project. The new equipment will be deployed across 245 new locations throughout the country.
Judith Yah Sunday, General Manager of CAMTEL, personally received the cargo transported in 35 containers at the Yaoundé-Zemangoé facility. She commended the project teams for their efficiency and instructed technical crews to begin installation immediately.
While urban and semi-urban zones will see service improvements, rural communities are slated to receive the most significant gains in coverage as the operator works to strengthen its network footprint.
In a social media statement following the reception, CAMTEL outlined the operational goals of the expansion initiative. The company stated that General Manager visited the facility “to ensure that everything is in place to quickly move from receiving equipment to their effective deployment.”
According to the operator, “logistics organization, storage conditions, team coordination, installation schedule, necessary resources, anticipation of potential bottlenecks: all elements are being closely monitored to maintain the project on track.”
However, CAMTEL highlighted the project’s scope, noting that “behind the received equipment lies a concrete ambition: to decongest 122 additional sites and deploy 245 new sites on the 473 existing sites: “
The operator added that “each equipment must now go through a new stage: to be installed, put into service and contribute to better connectivity for Cameroonians.”
Addressing the strategic focus on underserved regions, the company emphasized its target of expanding infrastructure beyond major metropolitan areas. “With particular attention to the densification of rural areas, the ambition…of the General Manager of CAMTEL, is to advance connectivity beyond major urban centers,” CAMTEL stated.
“From Divisional capitals to Subdivisional headquarters, from semi-urban areas to villages, the Blue Network must be as close as possible to Cameroonians… better connecting Cameroon also means bringing populations closer to services, knowledge, and digital opportunities”.
Beyond expanding physical reach through the 245 new installations, the project includes capacity upgrades at 122 congested locations to relieve network congestion in high-traffic zones. Metropolitan transmission capacity will also be upgraded to support increased data flow across the network.
To address service interruptions caused by regional power instability, CAMTEL plans electrical infrastructure upgrades across its facilities. The modernization drive also features billing system updates to streamline customer account management and tracking, alongside plans to introduce cloud computing and other digital services.
Funding for the first phase of the expansion was secured through a FCFA 44.8 billion syndicated loan with Commercial Bank Cameroon. The financing forms part of a broader infrastructure campaign, with the operator securing over FCFA 145 billion in capital investments between 2021 and late 2025.
The physical rollout follows recent strategic agreements, including a three-year partnership signed with Ethiopian operator Ethio Telecom in December 2025 to develop 4G, 5G, and emerging technologies.
CAMTEL also continues to utilize a national roaming agreement established with MTN Cameroon in 2022, which grants its subscribers access to MTN’s network across more than 200 sites where native CAMTEL coverage is not yet active.
