Yaoundeans taken by the throat by lease

Finding accommodation in Yaoundé has become very difficult, applicants must be patient and above all have a good amount of money to guarantee a rental for a long period of time. Despite all measures already taken by the government, residential housing is becoming increasingly scarce in the political capital of Cameroon.

All neighborhoods are concerned, including slums, which in the past allowed the less fortunate to build temporary shelters before giving them space. It is necessary to pay between 13,000 FCFA and 20,000 FCFA to find a room, without indoor shower or kitchen.

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The same rooms were rented a few years ago at prices fluctuating between 7,000 FCFA and 10,000 FCFA. In Bastos, Odza, Santa Barbara and many other residential areas, it is no longer possible to find a room for 25,000 FCFA. It is now necessary to pay approximately 40,000 FCFA for this same room and 60,000 FCFA for a so-called modern studio.

All these rents are assessed on a monthly basis and potential buyers are sometimes forced to pay a minimum of 12 months of rent. All this makes the acquisition of these premises very difficult considering the economic crisis the country is going through.

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Meanwhile, the government has stepped up measures in the city to provide housing to every citizen. Only 2% of global demand is met, wasteful activities. Economic operators, especially real estate developers, are fighting in their own way to support the government, but are coming up against a lack of funds to implement real estate projects in the city of 7 mountains.

While waiting for real estate projects and projects in the city of Yaounde, people live within their means. Some families are overcrowded at home. A 7, 8, 9 or even 10 is a simple studio with only 2 to 3 people. Citizens complain a lot about the government, which prioritizes the most affluent when it comes to social housing.