country profile

Cameroon

Sub-Saharan AfricaLower middle income29.88M population

Last updated July 15, 2026

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Fragile/Conflict-Affected Country: This country is classified as experiencing conflict.

In fragile and conflict-affected settings, severe data gaps, rapid disruption, and uneven reporting can distort index values. These scores should be read as a limited signal, not a complete picture of conditions in the country.

Critically unprepared

Composite GEFRI Score

Systemwide critical constraints

Cameroon shows critically low readiness to meet the challenges and opportunities of education in a rapidly changing world (19th percentile worldwide). Core capabilities are weak across most dimensions, and essential systems face significant constraints.

28.42Composite score
Global percentile
19th
Global rank
#145
Regional rank
#20
Viewing data for
Severely underprepared
Infrastructure
38.74
22nd percentileGlobal avg. 55.13
Critically unprepared
Human Capital
29.46
15th percentileGlobal avg. 47.36
Severely underprepared
Innovation
35.99
27th percentileGlobal avg. 46.19
Critically unprepared
Governance
27.91
18th percentileGlobal avg. 47.46
Critically unprepared
Access & Parity
10.00
33rd percentileGlobal avg. 48.49

Country profile

Cameroon faces substantial readiness constraints across core dimensions. Its weakest results are in Infrastructure (39, 22nd percentile), Innovation (36, 27th percentile), Human Capital (29, 15th percentile), GEFRI Composite (28, 19th percentile) and Governance (28, 18th percentile). These gaps continue to weigh on overall readiness.

Uneven scores across dimensions show where readiness conditions are less aligned. Limited electricity or internet coverage still constrains classrooms, preventing large-scale digital instruction. Literacy or tertiary enrollment gaps thin the talent pipeline and limit the country’s capacity to develop future-ready skills.

Sparse R&D investment and a small research workforce slow experimentation and delay new ideas from reaching learners. Policy execution and regulatory capacity remain weak, leaving reforms fragmented and hard to sustain. Girls outperform boys in secondary pathways, adding pressure to address male dropout risks.

Regionally, Governance lags peers the most, signalling where investment could have the highest impact.

Some indicators are imputed, so the profile should be read with moderate caution.

Key insights

Falls below many peers at the 19th percentile.

Places 145th worldwide.

Holds a regional position of 20th within Sub-Saharan Africa.

Scores range from Infrastructure (38.7) to Access & Parity (10.0), reflecting variation across dimensions.

Trails regional peers most clearly in Governance.

Regional peers: Sub-Saharan Africa

Composite GEFRI Score

Global rankRegional rankCountryScore
651South Africa57.44
742Mauritius55.85
SeychellesMicrostate55.06
803Botswana53.75
994Ghana48.08
1085Namibia44.23
1146Cabo Verde39.44
1207Eswatini36.39
1258Equatorial Guinea35.21
1269Senegal34.71
12710Gabon34.67
12811Rwanda34.54
13312Kenya32.83
13513Gambia, The32.46
13614Cote d'Ivoire32.04
13715Lesotho31.46
14016Tanzania29.45
14217Benin29.31
Sao Tome and PrincipeFCSMicrostate29.18
14318Togo28.93
14419Zimbabwe28.61
14520CameroonFCS28.42
14621Mauritania27.91
14822Zambia27.69
15023Angola27.20
15324Guinea25.53
15425MozambiqueFCS25.03
15526Madagascar24.90
15627Uganda24.77
15728Congo, Rep.FCS24.76
15829NigeriaFCS24.43
16030EthiopiaFCS24.27
16131Burkina FasoFCS24.20
16232ComorosFCS24.06
16333Sierra Leone23.91
16434MalawiFCS23.31
16535Liberia22.51
16636Guinea-BissauFCS22.30
16737MaliFCS21.77
16838Burundi20.39
16939SudanFCS19.96
17040NigerFCS19.49
17141EritreaFCS19.24
17242Congo, Dem. Rep.FCS19.13
17343ChadFCS17.06
17544SomaliaFCS16.33
17645South SudanFCS16.19
17746Central African RepublicFCS16.10