As Traffic Worsens, Cameroon Looks to Walking and Cycling Solutions

Cameroon has officially launched the local component of a United Nations program designed to place walking and cycling at the center of urban transport planning, as policymakers look for solutions to rising congestion, pollution and road safety challenges.

Government officials, development partners and transport experts gathered in Yaoundé on June 16 for the start of a three-day workshop that marked the launch of the UNDA 17 project in the country.

Organized by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and Germany’s development agency GIZ through the Move Yaoundé project, the workshop introduced an initiative that helps developing countries incorporate active mobility into public policy and urban planning strategies.

UNDA 17 refers to the 17th tranche of the United Nations Development Account, a funding mechanism financed through the UN’s regular budget to strengthen technical and institutional capacity. In Cameroon, the program will support government agencies responsible for urban planning and transportation. The country was selected among the first beneficiaries, alongside Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Morocco.

The initiative forms part of the Pan-African Action Plan for Active Mobility (PAAPAM), launched in late 2024 by UNEP, UN-Habitat and the World Health Organization. The framework seeks to help African countries build safer, more inclusive and lower-carbon transport systems. Rapid population growth, urban expansion and the steady rise in vehicle ownership continue to strain infrastructure in both Yaoundé and Douala. Traffic jams have become a daily reality, increasing travel times, reducing economic productivity and worsening air quality.

Data presented during the workshop highlighted the scale of the challenge. Urban transportation generates an average of 169 kilograms of CO₂-equivalent emissions per person each year in Douala and 241 kilograms in Yaoundé. Private cars and taxis account for most of these emissions, reflecting a strong reliance on motorized transport.

Yet walking remains one of the most common ways to get around in many Cameroonian cities. Across Africa, more than one billion people walk or cycle for nearly an hour each day. Despite that reality, infrastructure remains largely inadequate, with limited sidewalks, poorly adapted road networks and almost no dedicated cycling facilities.

According to UNEP, 74% of roads assessed across Africa lack sidewalks, while 92% have no pedestrian crossings. Road safety remains another major concern. Sub-Saharan Africa records the world’s highest road fatality rate, with an estimated 27.5 deaths per 100,000 people—more than twice the global average. Pedestrians and cyclists account for a significant share of those fatalities.

Beyond environmental benefits, advocates of active mobility point to its economic and social advantages. Walking and cycling provide affordable transportation options, improve mobility for low-income populations and expand access to urban services. They also support public health by encouraging physical activity and reducing the effects of sedentary lifestyles.

Cameroon has already launched several sustainable mobility projects. In Yaoundé, the Move project—supported by GIZ, the French Development Agency and the European Union under the supervision of the city government—includes intersection upgrades, pedestrian infrastructure and a bus rapid transit corridor scheduled to enter service in 2028.

According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the three-day workshop aims to share best practices, identify challenges specific to Cameroon and develop practical recommendations to better integrate active mobility into national urban policies.

Patricia Ngo Ngouem