Can an Indian Drive in Cameroon? — IDP Recommended, Drive Right, Carry the Kit

Cameroon is a big, varied country to drive — coast, forest, highland and savanna, often on the same trip — and a car opens up far more than public transport can. For Indian visitors the licence is the easy part; the two things to get right are which side you are on and what is physically in the boot.

The verdict for Indian licence holders

You can drive in Cameroon on your Indian licence with an International Driving Permit recommended to carry alongside it. The IDP is the cleanest way to present your entitlement to a rental firm or a roadside officer, so carry it together with your Indian licence and passport. Sort the IDP from your RTO before you leave India; it cannot be issued locally.

The side switch: India drives left, Cameroon drives right

India keeps left; Cameroon keeps right. This is the adjustment most likely to catch you out, and the risk is concentrated in your first day — pulling onto the wrong side from a fuel stop, or looking the wrong way at a junction. Pick the car up somewhere quiet and talk yourself through the first few turns until keeping right stops feeling backwards.

The required kit is not optional

Cameroon law requires your vehicle to carry a warning triangle, a first-aid kit and a fire extinguisher. Hire vehicles are usually fitted out, but confirm all three are present and serviceable before you drive away, because roadside checks do look for them and a missing item invites a fine.

Speeds, fuel and road sense

Limits run 50 km/h in towns, 80 on rural roads and 100 on the better highways, but condition matters more than the number: surfaces vary sharply, and rural roads can deteriorate without warning, especially in the rainy season. Drive to the road, not the sign, and avoid long rural stretches after dark. Fuel is around $1.15/litre. The drink-drive limit is 0.08 BAC — higher than India’s 0.03, but on these roads zero is the only sensible figure. The emergency number is 112.

Confirm your paperwork with the Driving Permit Checker, estimate any penalty with the Speeding Fine Calculator, and read who pays driving fines abroad before you set off.