Is prostitution legal in Cameroon?

Illegal

Prostitution is illegal in Cameroon but is tolerated, particularly in urban and tourist areas.

Cameroon is one of 101 countries classified “Illegal” for sex work — 46% of the 219 with data. (Also searched as prostitution.)

Source

Taken from
Wikipedia: Prostitution in Africa
Last checked
17 September 2026
How it was classified
Classified by a language model from the source text, then checked against hand-verified reference countries.

Nearby countries

Nigeria
Varies by region The legal status varies by region, with specific penalties in the South and Islamic law in the North.
Equatorial Guinea
Illegal Prostitution is explicitly stated to be illegal in Equatorial Guinea.
Gabon
Illegal Prostitution is a criminal offense in Gabon.
Central African Republic
Legal & regulated Prostitution is legal in the Central African Republic, while procuring or profiting from it is illegal.
Chad
Illegal Prostitution is a criminal offense in Chad, though it is common in urban areas.
Republic of the Congo
Illegal Prostitution is illegal in the Republic of the Congo, despite being commonplace.

Other laws in Cameroon

Same-Sex Activity
Illegal
Age of Consent
16–17
Divorce
Heavily restricted
Marriage Age
18+

Every law in Cameroon → · Where is sex work legal? →

A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.