Cameroon’s Minister of Worship, Paul Atanga Nji, announced on July 8, 2026, the imminent shutdown of 1,400 emerging churches nationwide. The decision stems from what he described as persistent administrative irregularities concerning their operational status.
In 2024, Minister Atanga Nji had mandated that all new churches officially register with his department. However, a significant number have yet to comply. During a meeting with leaders from the ‘Vie et Paix’ revival church, convened after an 11-year-old girl was tragically murdered in late June by a follower of their congregation, the Minister stressed that “the period of tolerance has now ended.” The ministry’s website detailed that the young victim suffered 17 stab wounds from a 22-year-old woman, a devotee of the ‘Vie et Paix’ church, who claimed to be acting under divine instruction.
This shocking incident, which deeply affected the nation, follows another similar crime committed in March, involving the death of another 11-year-old girl under unspecified circumstances.
The Cameroonian government has been actively addressing the proliferation of new churches since 2006. By 2008, it had officially recognized 81 associations, Christian churches, and religious institutions, including 46 Protestant and Pentecostal churches, all operating within legal frameworks.
Much like other African nations, Cameroon has witnessed a significant rise in Christian sects since 1994. This surge was facilitated by the law on freedom of association and exacerbated by the devaluation of the CFA franc (Communauté Financière Africaine), which plunged many African countries into economic hardship, pushing vulnerable populations towards various preachers.
In 2025, the Cameroonian government closed nearly 200 places of worship belonging to new churches, primarily due to noise disturbances. At that time, unregistered new churches were explicitly warned to “begin closing down and packing up their belongings.”
