Headline News

20, March 2026

Indomitable Lions: Pagou unveils squad for 2026 FIFA Series ⁰

The head coach of Cameroon’s national men’s football team, David Pagou, on Thursday announced a 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA Series.

The squad includes four goalkeepers, 10 defenders, nine midfielders, and three forwards.

Key midfielder Carlos Baleba, who plays for Premier League club Brighton, is not included in the squad, which also features local players.

“We have chosen players with a high level of positive spirit. We played well during the Africa Cup of Nations and we want to consolidate that by introducing new players. There are great players in our national championships,” Pagou told reporters while unveiling the list at a press conference in the capital, Yaoundé.

“This competition is important to us and we want to play well and earn points in the FIFA rankings,” he said.

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon will face Australia on March 27 in Sydney and China on March 31 in Melbourne.

The FIFA Series is an invitational competition. The 2026 edition will feature 48 teams divided into 12 groups, including nine men’s groups and three women’s groups, with all six continental confederations represented. The tournament will run from March 25 to April 18.

Culled from Xinhuanet by Queen Besumbu Agbaw

19, March 2026

Ambazonia Crisis: latest on Sisiku Ayuk Tabe’s arrest, trial and conviction ⁰

FRENCH CAMEROUN SUPREME COURT ORDERS RETRIAL IN LANDMARK CASE OF NERA 10, NULLIFIES APPEAL COURT PROCEEDINGS

Yaoundé, Cameroon – 19-03-2026

We wish to inform the public and the international community that following today’s proceedings at the Supreme Court in Yaoundé, our leaders, SisikuAyuktabe and his team have been returned to prison after a significant and dramatic development in their case.

We wish to officially inform the public of the following outcomes:

In its ruling, the Supreme Court annulled the judgment and entire proceedings of the Appeal Court.
The Court further ordered that the matter be sent back to the Appeal Court for a fresh hearing before a newly constituted panel of judges.

This decision marks an important, though modest, step forward in the pursuit of justice. By nullifying the earlier proceedings, the Supreme Court has effectively recognized that the prior Appeal Court trial was fundamentally flawed and constituted a miscarriage of justice.

This also marks a significant turning point in the legal journey of the Nera 10. While it does not yet bring final closure, it reopens the path toward a fair hearing and reinforces the continued pursuit of justice.

While our leaders remain in detention in good spirits, they take solace in this development as a sign that truth and justice are gradually prevailing. They are resolute, encouraged, and unwavering in their commitment to see justice fully served.

We call on all people, people of goodwill, supporters, and the International Community to remain attentive, engaged, and supportive as this case returns to the Court of Appeal. The struggle for justice, fairness, and the respect of fundamental rights continues.

Further updates will be communicated as developments unfold.

Dabney Yerima

Vice President,

The Federal Republic of Ambazonia

19, March 2026

No tickets will be sold for Pope Leo XIV’s masses in Cameroon ⁰

A poster circulating widely on WhatsApp claims that access fees will be charged for masses to be celebrated by Pope Leo XIV during his apostolic visit to Cameroon. The poster, shared for several hours on the messaging platform, lists fees ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 CFA francs to attend celebrations in Yaoundé, Bamenda and Douala. The claim is false: the Apostolic Nunciature in Cameroon has formally denied that any tickets are being sold.

An image widely shared on WhatsApp claims to be an official poster for the apostolic visit of Pope Leo XIV to Cameroon, scheduled for April 15-18, 2026. The image lists several categories of access to papal masses: “ticket” (10,000 CFA francs), “comfort” (30,000 CFA francs), “premium” (50,000 CFA francs) and “ultra VIP” (100,000 CFA francs), and includes a WhatsApp number for reservations.

Several elements suggest the poster is not authentic. It does not display the official logo of the Catholic Church in Cameroon, refers to a ticketing system that is unusual for papal masses, and uses a graphic style more typical of commercial promotional posters.

Official framework of the visit

On February 25, 2026, the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of Cameroon announced that Pope Leo XIV would undertake an apostolic visit to the country from April 15 to 18 at the invitation of President Paul Biya. The program includes stops in Yaoundé, Bamenda and Douala.

Local church authorities have also begun announcing the celebrations planned during the visit. The Archdiocese of Bamenda, for example, confirmed in a communiqué dated March 8 and published on March 13 that a mass will be celebrated at Bamenda Airport on April 16. The document does not mention any payment required to attend.

Official denial

Following the circulation of the poster, the Apostolic Nunciature in Cameroon issued a clarification stating that no tickets are being sold for the papal visit.

In its statement, the Nunciature confirmed that access to all liturgical celebrations presided over by Pope Leo XIV in Yaoundé, Bamenda and Douala will be entirely free. It added that no ticket sales or paid reservations have been authorized.

The Nunciature also warned against any private initiative seeking to charge for access to papal masses and called on the faithful to focus on the spiritual preparation for the visit.

The Archdioceses of Yaoundé and Douala also dismissed the poster on social media, stating that access to papal celebrations is free and that the message circulating online is a scam.

The poster claiming that access to Pope Leo XIV’s masses in Cameroon requires payment is misinformation. Church authorities confirm that attendance at the celebrations during the apostolic visit will be free.

Source: Sbbc

19, March 2026

President Putin condoles with Iran’s Leader over Dr. Larijani’s martyrdom ⁰

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a letter of condolence to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei over the martyrdom of Iran’s top security official during unprovoked American-Israeli aggression.

The Russian head of state submitted the message to the Leader on Wednesday, a day after official confirmation of the martyrdom of Dr. Ali Larijani, secretary of the Islamic Republic’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).

Putin also condoled with Dr. Larijani’s survivors and the Iranian nation, while noting his lifelong services and contributions across various fields.

He stressed how Dr. Larijani would consistently endeavor towards further enhancement of the countries’ bilateral ties and work towards additional promotion of their common goals.

The Russian president described his martyrdom as a “great loss” for both the Islamic Republic and the wider region, besides reiterating the need for further reinforcement of the nations’ relations.

The SNSC announced Dr. Larijani’s martyrdom in a statement on Tuesday, saying the attack targeting the official also led to the martyrdom of his son, Mortaza, the deputy for security at the Council’s Secretariat, and a number of their bodyguards.

Iranian authorities and regional personalities have reacted to Dr. Larijani’s martyrdom, asserting that the development would further reinvigorate the Islamic Republic’s and the regional Axis of Resistance’s resolve to more decisively confront adversaries.

Source: Press TV

19, March 2026

2025 Africa Cup of Nations: Patrice Motsepe should go and go now! ⁰

Corruption in all walks of life across Africa is well documented. But even by African standards, the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to retroactively award the 2025 AFCON title to Morocco, more than 60 days after Senegal won the final 1:0 is not merely controversial, it is absurd. CAF’s statement, invoking Articles 82 and 84, declared Senegal to have forfeited the final, converting a completed match into a 3: 0 victory for Morocco. What makes the decision indefensible is that the match was played to completion, overseen by match officials, and accepted at full-time with CAF and FIFA official presenting the medals and trophy to the players and teams. One cannot have it both ways; a game cannot be fully played and retrospectively forfeited.

AFCON 2025, hosted in Morocco was clouded with controversy. Throughout the competition, particularly in matches involving the host nation, there were persistent complaints about questionable refereeing and inconsistent VAR interventions. Supporters of Cameroon and Nigeria pointed to ignored penalty appeals and un-reviewed fouls by VAR during their games against Morocco in the quarter and semi-finals respectively. Cameroon and Nigeria fans were aggrieved, but accepted the oldest principle in football, that when the referee blows the final whistle, the result stands.

Had Articles 82 and 84 been applied on that day and Morocco declared winner there and then, there would have been outrage, certainly in many parts of the football world, but also closure. Instead, CAF failed to act in real time, only to resurrect its rulebook in a dark committee room weeks later in a move that is incoherent and institutionally damaging. The result is not justice, but confusion and accusations of corruption. This decision has the potential to break CAF up as an organization. There are many in sub-Saharan Africa who already believe that Morocco and the North African nations are using their financial resources to create their own rules in CAF and this is unacceptable.

As explained by Osasu Obayiuwana on Talksport Radio in the UK, rules must be applied prospectively, not retrospectively. If an authority fails to enforce a rule at the relevant moment, it cannot later invoke it to alter an outcome, unless fraud or fundamental illegality is proven. No such finding has been established here. This is not the correction of injustice; it is the creation of it by denying Senegal their victory. If matches completed under a referee’s authority can be rewritten in backrooms, then the referee ceases to be an arbiter. He becomes a temporary facilitator whose decisions are provisional and negotiable.

If Senegal forfeited the match, why was it allowed to continue after the seventeen minutes delay? Even within football circles, the reaction has been scathing. A member of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) described the decision as “unacceptable and disgraceful to African football.” There are the whispers that officials empowered to influence outcomes may have taken their rewards but failed to deliver. This has led to awkward conversations between the parties involved in the scheme. Many say this ruling is less about law and more about settling accounts by the parties. Whether true or not, CAF has once again created the conditions in which such suspicions of corruption thrive.

Senegal’s government has called the ruling as “unprecedented and exceptionally serious,” and called for an independent international investigation into suspected corruption within CAF. They have rightly signaled their intention to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. There is hope within lovers of African football and justice that the original result will be restored. But even if it is, the damage has already been done. Because in football, the final whistle is supposed to end the argument. In African football, it has just started one.

African football has never lacked brilliance. From George Weah to Didier Drogba, from Roger Milla to Samuel Eto’o, the continent has produced generations of extraordinary talent. What it has too often lacked is institutional credibility. Decisions like this erode the very foundations of trust upon which the beautiful game in Africa depends. For the credibility of the game, many now argue that Patrice Motsepe must take responsibility for this mess and resign immediately.

By Isong Asu

Cameroon Concord London Bureau Chief

18, March 2026

Changes in the Senate and National Assembly: who becomes next head of state? ⁰

Cameroon as a nation now stands at a very quiet but consequential crossroads. The recent changes in the leadership of both the Upper and the Lower House have not merely reshuffled the Senate and the National Assembly hierarchies but they have subtly altered the geometry of succession in a Francophone dominated system where constitutional order and political reality do not always move in lockstep.

At the heart of the so called political changes in Yaoundé lies a 60 million dollar question: who becomes the next head of state?

Under Cameroon’s present constitution, the head of the Senate is first in line to assume interim leadership in the event of a vacancy. This provision was designed to guarantee President Biya’s continued stay in power and not to ensure continuity and institutional stability. With new figures now presiding over both the Senate and the National Assembly, the predictability of that succession has become even more complicated. Change is not only needed in both the Senate and the National Assembly but also in the Unity Palace and the Star Building.

Having a new leadership in the Senate is of course significant. In theory, the President of the Senate is a transitional political figure in a caretaker presidency with limited powers tasked with organizing elections. But in practice, Senator Aboubakary Abdoulaye occupying that seat becomes the face of the nation in a moment of potential uncertainty. Correspondingly, Senator Aboubakary Abdoulaye’s political alliances, administrative competence and perceived neutrality matters far more than the constitution suggest.

The National Assembly’s leadership shift from the 86 year old Cavaye Djibril to Theodore Datoua adds another layer to the puzzle. Though not directly in the line of succession, the National Assembly plays a vital role in shaping the political environment in which any transition unfolds. The Speaker of the National Assembly can influence parliamentary priorities, manage consensus and perhaps most importantly signal where the balance of power truly lies within the ruling CPDM institution.

What has emerged from these two changes in both the Upper and Lower House is not a clear successor, but a more fluid and possibly contested pathway to power. Political power in Cameroon revolves around a strong presidency, with the Senate and the National Assembly including the Central Committee of the ruling CPDM party often seen as supportive rather than autonomous. But as Cameroon approaches its moment of transition, these same establishments can become arenas of political negotiation or even rivalry.

The wahala here is not simply “who” will be the next head of state, but “how” that person will emerge. Will the constitution be followed allowing Senator Aboubakary Abdoulaye to step in smoothly and elections organized without friction? Or will political realities such as CPDM party dynamics, tribal and regional considerations and elite bargaining reshape the process behind the scenes?

Added to this very complicated scenario is also a generational undercurrent. Frankly speaking, recent changes in parliament may reflect a cautious attempt to recalibrate the Cameroon political system for the future. If so, the next president of the republic—whether interim or elected—could mark a departure from entrenched patterns.

For now, Cameroon remains in a state of watchful anticipation. The coming of Senator Aboubakary Abdoulaye and Hon. Theodore Datoua has not answered the succession question; they have instead sharpened it. And in doing so, they remind political commentators that in Cameroon, the formal rules are only part of the story. The rest unfolds in the quieter, less visible spaces where power is negotiated, alliances are forged and futures are decided.

The coming weeks and perhaps months will very much reveal whether these institutional adjustments were merely routine or the early signals of a more significant transition.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

18, March 2026

Mafia: Morocco awarded Afcon title after CAF overturns result ⁰

Morocco have been declared the winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the Confederation of African Football (Caf) overturned the result of the final following Senegal’s controversial walk-off.

Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in the final on 18 January in a match which was overshadowed when the Senegalese players refused to play after the hosts were awarded a stoppage-time penalty with the match goalless.

Following a delay of around 17 minutes, the players did eventually return and Brahim Diaz’s penalty was saved before Senegal’s Pape Gueye scored an extra-time winner.

However, that result has now been overturned after a decision by an appeal board at African football’s governing body.

A statement from Caf said that Senegal are “declared to have forfeited the final match” with the “result of the match being recorded as 3-0 in favour” of Morocco.

The Senegalese Football Federation said it would appeal Caf’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, calling it “unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable”.

The decision follows an appeal by Moroccan FA (FRMF) which Caf said is “declared admissible in form” and was upheld.

Caf added that “through the conduct of its team” Senegal infringed on Article 82 of regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations and as a result Article 84 became applicable.

Article 82 states that if a team refuses to play or leaves the ground before the end of regulation time without the referee’s authorisation, it will be considered the loser and eliminated from the competition.

Article 84 complements this provision, stating that any team that violates Articles 82 will be permanently eliminated and will lose the match 3-0.

A statement from FRMF said that their decision to appeal the final result was “never intended to challenge the sporting performance of the teams” but was a request for the “application of the competition’s regulations”.

“The federation reaffirms its commitment to respecting the rules, ensuring clarity in the competitive framework, and maintaining stability within African competitions,” the FRMF statement added.

“It also wishes to commend all the nations that took part in this edition of the Afcon, which has been a major moment for African football.”

Earlier, a video was posted on the X account of the Senegal men’s national team, external of their players celebrating on a bus parade with the Afcon trophy and an ‘OK’ emoji.

Maher Mezahi, a North African football journalist, told BBC Radio 5 Live that the decision to overturn the result will not change the emotional impact of what unfolded on the pitch for those who witnessed it.

“We cannot erase the final 16 minutes of that match and what we saw,” he said.

“We cannot erase the feelings of seeing Senegal lift the trophy and the players going home with the medal and them having a parade.”

Instagram story posts from Crystal Palace forward Ismaila Sarr and West Ham's El Hadji Malick Diouf — Image caption,Some of Senegal’s players reacted to the news on social media. Crystal Palace forward Ismaila Sarr posted a series of crying laughter emojis on his Instagram stories shortly after the announcement, while West Ham’s El Hadji Malick Diouf uploaded a post-tournament celebration image captioned with “Champions, speak up!” and a photo of his medal accompanied by “How to make your party real”

What happened in the Afcon final?

With the scoreline 0-0, referee Jean Jacques Ndala gave a spot-kick in the eighth minute of added on time.

Ndala was advised by the video assistant referee (VAR) to consult the pitchside monitor and review defender El Hadji Malick Diouf’s challenge on Diaz.

Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw, still incensed by Ndala’s decision a few moments earlier to disallow a Senegal goal from Ismaila Sarr, ushered his team off the field.

Former Liverpool striker Sadio Mane stayed on the pitch and tried to encourage his Senegal team-mates to finish the game.

After a 17-minute delay, Senegal’s players did eventually return.

Real Madrid forward Diaz was trusted with the penalty, but his tame ‘Panenka’ effort was caught by Senegal keeper Edouard Mendy who barely had to move, and Ndala immediately blew his whistle for full-time.

Villarreal midfielder Gueye then scored the winning goal in the fourth minute of extra time to seal a second triumph in five years for Senegal.

In his post-match news conference, Morocco coach Walid Regragui said Senegal’s actions were “shameful” and do not “honour Africa”.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino strongly condemned the “ugly scenes” in a post on Instagram.

Thiaw, meanwhile, had his media briefing cancelled after a ruckus broke out in the press room.

But in a later post-match interview he accepted that he should not have ordered his team off the field and he had reacted “in the heat of the moment”.

Morocco subsequently parted company with head coach Walid Regragui on 5 March – four months before the World Cup finals.

Source: BBC

18, March 2026

Yaoundé: Customs launches mobile device duty system to recover lost revenue ⁰

Cameroon’s Directorate General of Customs (DGC) has activated a new electronic mechanism for collecting import duties on mobile phones, tablets and other mobile devices, effective 16 March 2026, after customs revenue from these goods collapsed from 12 billion CFA francs to about 100 million CFA francs over a relatively short period.

The system was launched during a briefing in Yaoundé presided over by Director General Fongod Edwin Nuvaga, bringing together major importers of mobile devices to present the new collection architecture ahead of its go-live date.

According to Customs, the reform is based on Article 7 of the 2019 Finance Law, which established an electronic mechanism for collecting duties on imported mobile terminals. A first implementation attempt in 2020 met with resistance and was shelved, before the mechanism was reintroduced following a successful test phase.

Importers liable, mobile money payments

Under the new framework, the legal taxpayer is the importer, not the consumer. Payments will be made via Mobile Money, Orange Money and other secure digital payment platforms, replacing the previous system based on communication credit.

Mobile operators will no longer collect and remit customs duties. Their role is now limited to blocking and unblocking devices within the new system.

Paul Olivier Libii, senior inspector at the DGC’s Division of Legislation and Disputes, detailed the system’s technical architecture, which connects three platforms: Camcis, the customs management system; a partner platform dedicated to device information management; and mobile operators’ operating systems.

“From the moment of importation, upload to the manifest all IMEI numbers of the devices you are importing; the manifest is then transferred electronically to Camcis. Once in the country, you validate a customs declaration, which will be automatically retrieved by the platform, which then analyses the IMEI numbers you uploaded,” Libii said.

Amnesty for active devices, regularisation for stock

Devices that had connected at least once to the networks of MTN, CAMTEL or Orange before 16 March 2026 are exempt from the new mechanism and benefit from fiscal amnesty.

However, devices in stock that had not connected to any network by that date must be regularised with the nearest customs office. Importers have two months to submit IMEI files for these devices, along with documents confirming regular customs clearance.

The framework for handling pending cases was outlined by Marcelin Djeuwo, Head of the DGC’s IT Division, during the briefing.

Libii described the system as a tool to enhance transparency, ensure fiscal compliance, reduce risks related to money laundering and terrorist financing, and protect the economy against fraud and contraband. The reform is also expected to modernise customs administration and sanitise the mobile device market.

Eight categories of mobile phones have been identified under the new framework, with the DGC indicating it remains open to additional proposals. Major importers present at the briefing expressed support for the reform, while Customs noted that the system’s success will depend on the buy-in of all stakeholders and targeted actors.

Source: Business in Cameroon

18, March 2026

‘100 Israeli targets struck’ as Iran avenges Dr. Larijani’s martyrdom ⁰

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has struck more than 100 targets in the city of Tel Aviv in retaliation for the martyrdom of Dr. Ali Larijani, Iran’s former top security official, during unprovoked American-Israeli aggression against the country.

In a statement on Wednesday, the IRGC announced hitting the targets during the 61st wave of its ongoing retaliatory Operation True Promise 4 in the face of the aggression.

The hostile objects, it added, were targeted using multi-warhead Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles as well as Emad and Kheibar Shekan projectiles as a means of avenging the martyrdom of Dr. Larijani, the former secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), the statement read.

“During these intense lightning strikes, the Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles hit more than 100 military and security targets in the heart of the occupied territories without facing any obstruction,” it added.

The IRGC put the facility characterizing this stage of the reprisal down to “the disintegration of the Zionist regime’s multilayered and highly advanced air defense systems.”

It cited field information as pointing to taking place of a “partial blackout” in Tel Aviv as a result of the reprisal that also resulted in the regime’s forces’ having a harder time controlling the situation at hand and rescuing those affected.

The Corps, meanwhile, said Operation True Promise 4 had so far either killed or injured more than 230 Zionists.

The retaliation began following the launch of Washington’s and Tel Aviv’s most recent bout of unlawful aggression towards the Islamic Republic.

In addition to Tel Aviv, it has targeted sensitive and strategic enemy objects in the holy occupied city of al-Quds, the occupied port of Haifa, Be’er Sheva, which serves as the regime’s technological epicenter, and the Negev Desert.

American outposts across the region, including those lying in Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, have also faced intense reprisal.

Source: Press TV

17, March 2026

The Lamido of Rey Bouba is new Senate President ⁰

Senator Aboubakary Abdoulaye who also moonlights as the Lamido of Rey Bouba has been elected President of the Cameroonian Senate signaling the end of Niat Njifengi. Today’s electoral victory of Senator Abdoulaye marks a moment of both continuity and cautious anticipation in Cameroon’s political story. At a time when all administrative and political establishments in Cameroon are being tested by shifting public expectations, generational change, and demands for accountability, this change of leadership in the Cameroonian Senate carries significance well beyond ceremonial protocol in Yaoundé.

Senator Aboubakary Abdoulaye is stepping into the role with the weight of institutional responsibility on his shoulders. The Senate, often perceived as the nation’s House of Lords within Cameroon’s legislative framework, plays an important role in safeguarding constitutional order, reviewing legislation, and ensuring regional representation. This traditional leader from the Far North region will be judged not only by how effectively the Senate performs these duties, but also by how it responds to the broader concerns of Cameroonian citizens, Francophone and Anglophone.

Seas of political commentators have opined today that Senator Aboubakary Abdoulaye is a reflection of the enduring influence of established political structures in Cameroon. But his electoral victory also raises an important question: can continuity coexist with renewal? For many in Yaoundé, the hope is that Senator Abdoulaye’s tenure will not simply reinforce the status quo, but rather inject a measure of responsiveness into governance—particularly in addressing economic pressures, social cohesion, and the ongoing challenges in various regions of the country including the war in Southern Cameroons.

There is also political weight in leadership transitions such as this. They offer an opportunity to reaffirm public trust in institutions that, for some, may feel distant from everyday realities. The Senate president, though not always at the forefront of executive decision-making, occupies a position that can either reinforce institutional credibility or deepen public skepticism. Abdoulaye’s approach to transparency, dialogue, and legislative independence will therefore be closely scrutinized.

Cameroon stands at a delicate juncture. Its political future will depend not only on leadership at the highest executive levels but also on the strength and integrity of its legislative bodies. In this regard, the Senate presidency is more than a title—it is a test of stewardship.

As Senator Aboubakary Abdoulaye assumes office, the expectations are clear. Stability must be matched with vision. Tradition must be balanced with reform. And above all, leadership must remain attuned to the voices of the people it is meant to serve.

Whether this moment becomes a footnote in a long continuum of continuity or a subtle turning point toward renewal will depend on the choices made in the days ahead.

By Queen Besumbu Agbaw in UK with files from Rita Akana in Yaoundé