According to Article 3 of the November 8, 1990 decree, the resources of the commission come from state subsidies, outside donors, and the sale of its studies. State subsidies essentially finance the overhead costs of the NCHRF (salaries, travel, office supplies, communication, etc.). Between 1992 and 1997, the Cameroonian government provided over 65 percent of the NCHRF's total resources, and virtually all its current use expenses. The remaining resources come from donor governments, often as part of a bilateral cooperative agreement with the Cameroonian government.

According to the figures published in the Five-Year Summary of Activities 1992-1997, the state subsidies were regularly paid. Other resources are reported primarily from the aid agencies of the western and Chinese embassies in Cameroon, as well as the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.79 Between 1992 and 1997, the NCHRF received (in CFA francs):

1991-1992: 90,000,000 [approximately U.S.$150,000];
1992-1993: 49,049,334 [U.S.$82,000];
1993-1994: 4,978,995 [U.S.$8,500];
1994-1995: 87,738,615 [U.S.$146,000];
1995-1996: 50,000,000 [U.S.$85,000];
1996-1997: 80,000,000 [U.S.$135,000].
The figures for 1998-1999 were unavailable at the time of Human Rights Watch's visit.