West Africa: Insecurity Is Crippling Economies On the Cameroon-Chad Trade Corridor

Terrorism, kidnapping and crumbling roads are combining to choke a trade lifeline linking Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria.

Kidnappings, assassinations and other attacks have surged over the past year along Cameroon’s national highway linking the capital Yaoundé in the south to Kousséri, the northern border town with Chad. Boko Haram factions target passengers and freight trucks almost daily, despite the heavy military presence along this vital regional trade route. As the 2026 rainy season sets in,…