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MTN Cameroon cybersecurity youth awareness efforts have taken a powerful step forward, with the telecom giant engaging more than 900 students across Douala in a landmark digital safety initiative held during Youth Week. The programme, delivered in partnership with SAFE Africa, targeted learners from DAS, PNEU, SMART, and BELMON Colleges in the Bonaberi district, bringing critical conversations about online safety directly into the lives of young Cameroonians.
The awareness sessions ran from 9 to 10 February and tackled some of the most pressing online safety challenges facing young people today. Topics included cyberbullying, online scams, and data protection, three areas that have grown increasingly urgent as internet access expands across Cameroon and the wider African continent.
Students were not passive recipients of information; they actively joined discussions, shared personal experiences, and posed questions that reflected genuine curiosity about how to stay safe in a rapidly evolving digital environment. The high level of engagement demonstrated that young people are hungry for this kind of education and ready to take responsibility for their digital behavior when given the right tools and knowledge.
Across Africa, youth represent the fastest-growing group of internet users. With this growth comes significant exposure to digital threats that many young people are ill-equipped to handle. Cyberbullying has been linked to serious mental health consequences among teenagers, while online scams continue to cause financial and emotional harm to unsuspecting users of all ages.
Data protection, though often overlooked, is equally vital, as young people routinely share personal information on social media platforms without fully understanding the risks involved.
Initiatives like the MTN Cameroon cybersecurity youth awareness programme fill a critical gap that formal education systems have been slow to address. By bringing these conversations into schools, MTN Cameroon is helping to build a generation of digitally literate citizens who understand both the opportunities and the responsibilities that come with being online.
The Douala initiative sits within a broader strategic commitment by MTN Cameroon to promote Digital Human Rights. The company recognises that the right to privacy, freedom of expression, and protection from online harm are not abstract concepts but lived realities that affect young people every day. By partnering with SAFE Africa, an organisation dedicated to creating safer digital environments across the continent, MTN Cameroon has amplified the impact of its outreach and ensured the programme is grounded in credible, expert-backed content.
The collaboration reflects a growing understanding within the private sector that telecommunications companies have a responsibility that extends beyond connectivity, one that includes ensuring the people who use their networks are empowered to do so safely, ethically, and with a full awareness of their rights.
At the heart of the MTN Cameroon cybersecurity youth awareness programme is a commitment to empowerment. The sessions were designed not only to inform students about risks but to equip them with practical knowledge and a sense of agency over their digital lives. Young people were encouraged to uphold their own dignity online, express themselves responsibly, and protect themselves and their peers from harm.
Equally important, students were guided to respect the digital rights of others, fostering a culture of mutual accountability within online spaces. This dual focus on self-protection and respect for others reflects a mature and holistic approach to digital citizenship that goes beyond simple warnings and instead builds lasting behavioral change.
MTN Cameroon’s investment in youth digital safety signals a long-term vision for a more secure and equitable digital future in Cameroon. As the country continues to grow its digital economy, programmes like this one will be essential in ensuring that young people are not left vulnerable to the darker sides of the internet but are instead prepared to thrive as confident, informed, and responsible digital citizens.
