Send Money To Cameroon
Sending money to Cameroon has never been more convenient with lots of options available today more than any point in history. Cameroon receives about $300 million in remittances, 68.7% of which comes France, the United States, Gabon, Nigeria and Belgium.
According to WorldRemit, Cameroonians in the diaspora make an average of 2 to 3 transactions per month. Some of the transfers are via the bank others through online money transfers and other channels. With proper planning and choice of money transfer provider, you can save anywhere from 4 to $9 per transaction. Cumulatively, this could amount to $300+ in a year.
The government of Cameroon estimates that 5 million Cameroonians equivalent to 21% of the total population live in other countries. Their remittances play a critical role in family support and economic growth in the country.
Whether you live in the UK, Germany, Canada, France or the United States, you need an affordable, faster, and more reliable way to send money to your family and friends in Cameroon. This review looks at the various ways you can send money to Cameroon, what the recipients need to get the money, some considerations to make when transferring and other aspects you should look at.
How To Send Money To Cameroon
Sending money to Cameroon is simple and easy. Follow these steps to get started.
Find a Trusted Provider
Sign Up and Deposit
Transfer Money
Ways To Send And Receive Money In Cameroon
There are multiple ways to easily send and receive money in Cameroon but these will largely depend on the provider you decide to use. Below you will find everything you need to know about sending and receiving money.
Ways to Send Money to Cameroon
Every week, thousands of people and businesses send money to Cameroon. All of them aggressively search and compare the options available for the best rates and fees before sending. You also need to do that and to start you off, check below for the best ways to send money to Cameroon.
Interbank Transfers
You can send money from your bank in the host country to a bank in Cameroon through wire transfer. Traditionally, banks have been trusted for their reliability and solid financials. For instance, when sending money from France to Cameroon, you can use banks such as Credit Agricole, BNP Paribas, La Banque Postale, and others.
When sending from the US, banks like Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup are some of the prominent banks you can use. Many banks have online options you can transfer money to beneficiaries, but they require that the recipients have bank accounts as well.
Cameroonians with no access to banks in their host countries may find it difficult to use interbank transfers to send funds to their families back home. The fees banks charge for international transfers vary, but most of them charge up to $40 per transfer. The delivery times differ from 3 to 5 days.
Online Money Transfers
The advancement in technology has seen lots of money transfer operators venturing into the Cameroon transfer corridor. Providers such as WorldRemit, Azimo, Softeller, Monisnap, and PayTop are some of the frequently used in the France Cameroon route.
These money transfer providers require that you open an account with them, have it verified and funded before you can send to your recipients. The fees they charge vary from one provider to another. For instance, WorldRemit charges $6.99 to transfer $100 to Cameroon. For the same transfer, Xoom charges $4.99 to a cash pickup point.
The type of transfers you can make with online money transfers include:
- Direct to bank transfers
- Cash pickups
- Mobile money
Some providers such as World Remit and Xoom allow you to top up the recipient mobile phones with airtime straight from their platforms. Xoom can reload MTN and Orange mobile phones.
Paying for your transfers is simple as all you need is to add your bank account, credit card or debit card onto the platform to enable you to pay. Cash pickups and mobile money take minutes to be delivered, but bank transfers can take anywhere from the same day to 3 days to be delivered.
The exchange rate markup these providers charge range from 0.5 to 3.5%. This is a much better deal than banks that charge upwards of 5%. Most providers have mobile apps you can download from Google Play or Play Store to help you send money and track your transfers on the go.
Instore Cash Transfer
Money transfer providers like Western Union, MoneyGram, Xpress Money, Moneyglobe, and Dahabshiil offer agent-based transfers. This means you have to walk to an agent, deposit the money, and let them send to your designated recipient.
Western Union and MoneyGram offer both internet-based and agent-based money transfer platforms. In fact, you can begin your transfer online and complete it at an agent. For the online services, the providers will require that you sign up for an account.
MoneyGram allows senders from the UK to pay for their transfers using debit or credit card, Sofort, or cash at the location. The payout option available is cash pickup and the money is available in minutes. The maximum you can send from the UK is 6,000 GBP.
When sending money through Western Union from the UK, you can pay for your transfer in cash, using a bank transfer, online bank transfer, or credit/debit card. The recipient can only get the money in cash and the maximum you can send is 4,485 GBP. Delivery time is in minutes.
Save for MoneyGram and Western Union, the other providers do not have mobile apps hence the inconvenience of having to locate a physical store to do your transfer.
PayPal
If the recipient has a PayPal account, you can transfer money directly to their account. However, the recipient won’t be able to withdraw the money to a local bank, but they can use the PayPal balance to pay for products and services online.
What is Needed to Send Money to Cameroon
To send money to Cameroon, you will be asked to provide the following information:
- A government-issued photo ID
- The name of the recipient, their address and phone number
- The recipient’s bank details if the transfer is to a bank account
- The transfer payout method
When signing up for an online money transfer account, most of this information will be requested and verified. Once that is done, you won’t need most of it for your subsequent transfers.
What are the Ways of Receiving Money in Cameroon?
There are various ways your beneficiary can choose to receive transfers made to them. Depending on the provider, some payout options may not be available. The common ways to receive money in Cameroon include:
Bank Deposit- The recipient can choose to have money deposited directly into their account. One thing to note is that some banks may charge intermediary fees, landing fees, and other processing fees.
Cash Pickup- Online money transfer providers have expanded their disbursing network coverage in Cameroon through strategic partnerships with local operators. For instance, World Remit entered into a new partnership with Express Exchange to allow Cameroonians living abroad to access money in new 300+ pickup locations in the country.
When sending money using Xoom, you can have the recipient collect it from 1298 locations across Cameroon.
Mobile Money – In January 2019, WorldRemit and Express Union launched an international mobile money transfer service where WorldRemit customers can transfer funds directly to their recipients through the EU mobile money wallet. Other providers offering mobile money transfer to Cameroon include Small World, Transfast, Ria, Money Express, Tempo Money Transfer, CashXpress among others.
What is Required to Receive Money in Cameroon?
For you to receive your transfer in Cameroon you’ve got to provide the following documentation and support information.
• Your national identity card or passport
• The transaction number -This code is automatically generated when the sender initiates the transfer. It could either be sent to you by the provider or the sender.
Depending on the provider you are picking the funds from, you may be asked to identify the sender and the reason for the transfer.
Best Ways To Send Money To Cameroon
Debit Card
Minutes
Credit Card
Minutes
Bank Transfer
Minutes
Bank Transfer
3-5 Days
Debit Card
3-5 Days
Bank Transfer
3-5 Days
Debit Card
3-5 DaysCommon Reasons for Sending Money to Cameroon
Most Cameroonians living or working abroad send money home for several reasons some of which are:
Family Support
Families, especially in rural Cameroon, are heavily dependent on aid and external support because of their economic marginalisation. Cameroonians in the diaspora who come from these areas often send money to support their families.
Savings and Investments
Cameroon’s gross domestic savings as a percentage of GDP is about 17%. Part of the savings are inflows from the diaspora into savings vehicles in the country. The diaspora money is also targeting investments in real estate and financial assets.
Education and Tuition expenses
School enrolments in Cameroon have always been below the 50% mark. While many factors contribute to this, the lack of finances has been key among them. Diaspora Cameroonians have been sending money to keep their siblings and even relatives in school.
Income Repatriation
Cameroonians working and doing business abroad periodically repatriate their profits and incomes into the country. Geopolitical events also push some of them to find a safe haven for their hard-earned cash back at home.
Mortgage Repayments
It is common for diaspora Cameroonians to have loan facilities either directly or through their families back home. Depending on the loan covenants and terms of repayment, part of the money that gets sent is used to repay the loans advanced.
Why Send Money with a Money Transfer Service?
Online money transfer services offer unique advantages to Cameroonians sending money from abroad. Some of the benefits include:
Exchange Rate Margin
Transfer Fees
Transfer Speed
Ease of Set-Up
Multicurrency Support
Security
Things to Consider When Sending Money to Cameroon
To ensure a smooth transfer when sending money to Cameroon, you should consider the following factors:
- Cameroon Money Exchange Market regulations – The Ministry of Finance issued a communique that outlaws all non-authorised money exchange operations. Only 25 institutions are recognised and authorised to engage in money exchange operations.
- Scarcity of Foreign Currencies – Even with the favourable trade that the Central African Monetary and Economic Community (CEMAC) region enjoys, there has been some prolonged scarcity of foreign exchange. It is therefore important that when sending money, you insist on providers that will give your recipients the CFA franc.
- Heavy Cash Dependence – Most Cameroonians prefer cash to electronic money. When making your transfer choose cash pickups because they are preferred more than bank deposits and mobile money especially when small amounts in the range of 200 to $ 500 are involved.
When armed with the right information, sending money to Cameroon is simple. You just need to ensure that the provider you use is reliable and has good network coverage in the area you are making the transfer to.
Your Questions Answered
Looking to Send Money Somewhere Else?
Sending money anywhere else in the world is as easy as sending money to Cameroon. If you’re looking to send money to another country, here is the list of the most popular destinations.
Jonathan is the founder and editor of MoneyTransfers.com. Jonathan is highly experienced in the currency transfer market, having previously worked in the FX trading industry, alongside being an avid traveller. Using his knowledge he identified a need for transparency and further education to help people save money on their money transfers, leading to the creation of MoneyTransfers.com