Market traders in Nkwen, Bamenda, North West Region of Cameroon have staged a protest against soaring cost of rents at the market.
The traders say, they already have ghosttowns, the Anglophone crisis to deal with, and that their problems have been compounded by the rent increase.
The traders also complain that, despite inadequate market infrastructure and the prevailing armed conflict, the Bamenda City Council has imposed significant rent hikes.
Traders in other major markets, such as the Main Market and Ntarinkon Markets, which are all under the control of the City Council and suffer from poor sanitation and a lack of access to clean water, raised similar concerns.
One trader, currently paying 24,000 FCFA per quarter, is now expected to pay 32,000 FCFA for the same period, prompting widespread frustration among the trading community. The rising rents feel unfairly burdensome to them, especially given the lack of basic services like clean water and proper sanitation.
This protest follows a pattern observed since January 2024, indicating persistent dissatisfaction among traders with market conditions. Despite the outcry, the Bamenda City Council has not issued any statement regarding the situation, leaving traders’ concerns unaddressed.
During one of the last public reactions of the City mayor on the issue when he spoke to the media, he told those who could not pay to leave.
