At the beginning of 2025, Cameroon welcomed Nigerian Afrobeats and hip-hop star Odumodublvck, a sign of how Afrobeats has carved out space in the country. The wave of change had already been slightly felt earlier, in 2022, when Libianca’s breakout hit People put Cameroon in the spotlight with raw, emotional storytelling about depression and loneliness. The song sparked conversations across the continent and suggested that there might be a new player on the table in the Afrobeats conversation.

It’s also worth noting that Cameroonian artists have been making their own mark in Afrobeats for years. Since 2018, names like Rhamani and Salatiel have consistently released Afrobeats tracks that earned regional traction. Rhamani’s Legedis has passed 1.5 million streams, while Salatiel’s Water featuring Pharrell Williams and Beyoncé has also crossed 50 million streams. These releases prove that Cameroon has been part of the Afrobeats wave long before collaborations became the main strategy.

But, for the past two years, debates over Afrobeats in Cameroon have been intense. Some clamored for banning Nigerian Afrobeats altogether because of its overwhelming dominance of local airwaves. However, instead of pushing back, Cameroonian artists have chosen to collaborate. Names like Ko-c, Libianca, and Mr. Leo are working with Nigerian and other African stars to reach audiences beyond Cameroon and the Francophone world.

The argument that homegrown genres are being overshadowed doesn’t fully hold today. Platforms like Josplay Music, Spotify, and Apple Music have reshaped listening habits, giving fans access to a wide range of sounds. For artists, the real challenge is learning to leverage these platforms through smart collaborations and visibility tools like playlists, which also help preserve and showcase local styles.For artists, the real challenge is learning to leverage these platforms through smart collaborations and genre, music and artist visibility tools like playlists, which also help preserve and showcase local styles

One striking example is Ko-c’s collaboration with Patoranking, produced by MasterKraft, which blends Afrobeats with Igbo traditional elements. The track Credit Alert has already crossed 1.3 million streams on Spotify, showing how cross-border creativity can resonate with many people.

Still, Afrobeats in Cameroon occupy a complicated space. On one hand, the genre is loved by artists and fans. But on the other hand, critics say its rise has overshadowed homegrown sounds such as Makossa and Bikutsi, slowing their promotion and innovation.

Others argue that Nigerian Afrobeats may not even be consumed as heavily in Cameroon as people assume; the bigger challenge lies in weak local support systems. Many Cameroonian artists struggle with limited promotion and inconsistent fan backing, which prevents even high-quality songs from gaining the momentum they deserve.

The main problem is not about talent but about support and infrastructure. Concert attendance, streaming numbers, and fan engagement often fall short, leaving artists without the momentum needed to compete regionally and internationally.

For Cameroonian Afrobeats and Afropop to thrive, the industry will need to double down on smart marketing, stronger promotion, and collaborations with artists who have already attained a level of global reach.

Cameroon has been part of the Afrobeats wave long before collaborations became the main strategy.

Genre Spotlight: Afrobeats in Cameroon

Cameroon has been part of the Afrobeats wave long before collaborations became the main strategy.

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