Cameroon launches nationwide campaign against online hate speech ahead of presidential vote 🇨🇲📢

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One month before Cameroon heads to the polls on October 12, 2025, the country’s Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Minette Libom Li Likeng, kicked off a nationwide awareness campaign on September 9 in Yaoundé. Branded “No to hate speech and subliminal messages,” the initiative aims to reach more than one million people, warning of the dangers of online hate for social cohesion and economic stability.

A nationwide push against online hat 🛡️

The campaign is spearheaded by the Association for the Rehabilitation of Refugees, Youth, and Women (ARREF), with backing from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. Its focus is clear: engage young people, women, refugees, and — perhaps most critically — opinion leaders and influencers who help shape the country’s digital discourse.

“In line with the President’s directives, we are committed to promoting cybersecurity and responsible use of social media,” Libom Li Likeng said at the launch.

She reminded attendees that hate speech covers any verbal, written, visual, or symbolic expression that stirs hostility based on identity or social criteria.

The amplifier effect of social platform 🌐

Libom Li Likeng also highlighted the technical mechanics that fuel the spread of hate. According to her, social media algorithms are part of the problem: they reward polarizing, emotionally charged content because it drives engagement.

“A hateful or stigmatizing post is far more likely to spread than a neutral or moderate one,”

she noted, adding that this built-in bias contributes to the virality of toxic content.

Cameroon’s Penal Code has, since 2019, set out penalties for such behavior: one to two years in prison, plus fines ranging from 300,000 to 3 million CFA francs (roughly $490 to $4,900), for those found guilty of spreading hate or incitement to violence.

A threat to unity and the economy ⚠️

Experts at a roundtable convened by the ministry stressed the double impact of hate speech: both sociopolitical and economic.

Linguist Prof. Edmon Biloa explained how language and rhetoric can embed hate, while Dr. Ngwa Peter Holds, a specialist in digital administration, pointed to the viral mechanics of social media and the low cost of spreading harmful content.

“Cameroon is a profoundly diverse society, balanced delicately across regions, cultures, languages, and religions. Any divisive or stigmatizing statement online threatens the very essence of our nation,” warned Libom Li Likeng.

Running from September through December 2025, the campaign will include conferences, roundtables, and outreach events, both on-site and online, delivered in local and official languages. It’s part of the country’s broader cybersecurity strategy, with an ambition that goes beyond elections: turning the fight against online hate into a driver of peace, stability, and economic resilience.

👉🏾 What practical steps do you think could help reduce online hate speech in Cameroon ? Share your thoughts in the comments.☺️