By Trésor Daniel Mefire
Despite more than a decade of economic growth, inequality in Africa and particularly in Cameroon — remains a stubborn and worsening crisis that threatens to undo decades of development progress, a new research paper warns.
In The Persistent Challenge of Inequalities in Africa and Cameroon, Trésor Daniel Mefire paints a stark picture of a continent where booming GDP figures mask deep and growing divides between rich and poor. “While economic growth averaging 4.3% annually has been recorded in various sectors since 2010, its benefits have not been evenly distributed,” Mefire writes. “This growing inequality paradox where economies expand yet poverty persists presents one of the most pressing challenges for policymakers today.”
The data is sobering. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most unequal region globally, with the richest 10% of the population capturing more than half of all income, while the poorest 40% scrape by with just 15%. In Cameroon, over a third of the population lives on less than $1.90 a day — the international poverty line.
The problem, according to Mefire, is structural. “These economic divides stem from the concentration of wealth in extractive industries such as oil and mining,” he explains, “while small and medium-sized enterprises face significant barriers in accessing credit.” In Cameroon, 90% of jobs are in the informal sector, offering little security or social protection.
But inequality isn’t just about income. Access to education and healthcare basic human rights — is deeply unequal. Children from rich households in Cameroon are far more likely to attend school than those from poor families, with a 30-percentage-point gap in primary school enrollment. Health outcomes show similarly stark disparities: infant mortality in rural areas is nearly double that in urban centers.
“These inequalities are not accidental,” Mefire stresses. “They result from underfunded public systems and governance challenges, including corruption in resource allocation.”
The research also highlights a frequently overlooked dimension: ecological inequality. As climate change intensifies, its effects hit the most vulnerable hardest. In Cameroon, deforestation, industrial pollution, and erratic rainfall disproportionately affect poor and indigenous communities, many of whom lack the political power to demand redress.
Looking ahead, Mefire calls for sweeping reforms — progressive taxation, equitable investment in public services, and environmentally just policies that respect community land rights.
“The road to equity is long, but not insurmountable if addressed with urgency and comprehensive strategies,” he concludes. Without action, the paper warns, income inequality in Cameroon could worsen by 15–20% by 2030, and more than 2 million people may be displaced by climate-related impacts.
For policymakers across Africa, the message is clear: economic growth without social justice is a hollow victory. “The time for half-measures has passed,” Mefire writes. “What’s needed now is bold, systemic action that treats inequality as the existential threat to development that it has become.”.
For further reading, find the research report here PDF The Persistent Challenge of Inequalities in Africa and Cameroon
