From 16 to 19 March 2026, the Telecommunications Regulatory Board (TRB) marked the 43rd World Consumer Rights Day under the theme "Safe Products, Confident Consumers." Across four cities — Yaoundé, Douala, Limbe and Buea — the regulator deployed a wide-ranging set of initiatives to drive home the urgency of action, so that every citizen may use electronic communications services and products with full confidence.

In Yaoundé, the commemorations opened on 17 March at Immeuble Platinum with an information stand on the building's esplanade, before culminating on Thursday, 19 March in an atmosphere of focused, purposeful engagement. The theme chosen for this milestone edition — "Safe Products, Confident Consumers" — set the tone for a gathering where institutional voices and end-users converged around a shared goal: security and trust in everyday communications.

A round table subsequently brought together, in the building's multipurpose hall, representatives of the Ministry of Commerce, senior TRB officials, telecommunications operators, and consumer associations. Chaired by Ms. Clotilde Batifotam, Technical Adviser No. 2 and representative of the Director General, the discussions unfolded in a spirit that was both candid and constructive. Three central concerns dominated the agenda: the safety of products placed on the market, legal and tariff regulation, and the imperative to place the consumer firmly at the heart of institutional priorities. The recommendations emerging from the proceedings were clear-cut: guarantee the right to information, update the existing legal framework, harmonise national texts with one another, and make consumer security and satisfaction an overriding priority. The President of the National Consumer Council (CONACO), Ms. Jacqueline Koa, addressed an audience composed of technical managers, legal experts, representatives of operators Orange, MTN and Camtel, and the Ministry of Commerce. Her contributions covered a broad thematic spectrum — from product safety and the fundamental link between security and consumer confidence, to tariff regulation methods and the national and international legal instruments applicable to the sector.

The 43rd World Consumer Rights Day was also commemorated through a series of awareness-raising activities coordinated by the Regional Delegation for the Centre, South and East in Yaoundé (DRY), from 16 to 19 March 2026, under the leadership of its Regional Delegate, Mr. Bilo'o Essiane Guy Bertrand. On the ground, teams fanned out across schools and universities in the capital, as well as the city's markets, to engage directly with the public. The risks associated with improper mobile phone use and the acquisition of SIM cards through informal channels were thoroughly documented and explained, while the TRB's role in consumer protection was communicated in accessible, instructive terms. An information stand erected for the occasion in the Hippodrome neighbourhood served as one of the focal points of this community outreach campaign. Visitors were briefed on compliance with type-approval standards, on the TRB's regulatory functions in combating fraud, and on the procedures for lodging complaints with the regulator. The overarching objective remained constant: to ensure the safety and satisfaction of electronic communications users.

On the coast, the Regional Delegation for the Littoral and South West in Douala (DRD) approached WCRD 2026 with a sustained, multi-channel communications strategy. As early as 13 March 2026, a press conference officially launched the DRD's activities, drawing the main national media outlets — CRTV, Canal 2 International, Info TV and Cameroon Tribune — to raise public awareness through broadcast and print channels. This initiative established early and meaningful contact with the population well in advance of the field days. On 16 and 17 March 2026, under the direct supervision of Regional Delegate Mr. Mpoudi Mengue Patrice, an awareness caravan travelled through Douala, Limbe and Buea to inform residents about subscriber identification requirements and the mechanisms available for challenging operators before the TRB. Young people in schools — notably the United Nations Schools and DIGITAL College — benefited from a dedicated programme addressing the stakes of Artificial Intelligence in an ever-evolving digital landscape, as well as consumer rights and the remedies available to victims of abuse. This field momentum was reinforced by a joint meeting with the Regional Delegation of ANTIC, cementing the operational synergy between the two regulators in the service of consumer protection. The DRD also took part in the conference of the National Chamber of Consumers (CNACOC), reaffirming the TRB's steadfast commitment alongside telecommunications users.

In the North, the Regional Delegation for the North, Far North and Adamawa in Garoua (DRG) rolled out a series of activities for WCRD 2026. Among its flagship initiatives, awareness caravans were organised on the campuses of higher education institutions and in commercial areas, to inform young people and traders of their rights and responsibilities as consumers. Concurrently, training sessions were held on the legal status of the Agency's sworn enforcement officers, and a practical guide to drafting technical inspection reports was introduced. The DRG also conducted visits to operators' commercial agencies to engage directly with consumers. To reach a wider audience, outreach messages were broadcast in a local language via Radio Sahel Gottel in Maroua. A consultation was also held with local associations and the Regional Delegation of MINPOSTEL (DEREPOSTEL), facilitated by the TRB's Far North Regional Antenna, to strengthen dialogue between consumers and authorities.

As this 2026 edition drew to a close, the national campaign brought to light a persistent need for public awareness of complaint procedures and the rights of telecommunications users. It also pointed to concrete avenues for action: sustaining proximity activities across the national territory and enhancing the TRB's institutional outreach through its digital channels. One conviction, shared by all those who mobilised for this occasion, remains unshaken: consumer confidence cannot be mandated — it is earned, step by step, through sustained and open dialogue between the regulator, operators and citizens.

ESMA