The world’s oldest head of state – 92-year-old Paul Biya – has promised Cameroon’s electorate “the best is still to come” as he seeks his eighth consecutive presidential term on Sunday.

The nonagenarian has already been in power since 1982 – another seven-year mandate could see him rule for 50 years until he will be almost 100.

He defied widespread calls to step down and has been criticised for only showing up for one rally, spending most of the campaign period on a 10-day private trip to Europe.

A backlash over his reliance on an AI-generated campaign video, as his opponents actively wooed voters on the ground, saw him rush north on his return home.

In the vote-rich city of Maroua on Tuesday he addressed crowds of his party supporters – reaching out in particular to women and young people, promising to prioritise their plight in his next mandate.

“I will keep my word,” he insisted, urging them to “give me your valuable support once again”.

But political analyst Immanuel Wanah tells the BBC that Biya’s primary focus since coming to power has been to stay in power, “often at the expense of efforts to enhance the living conditions of the country’s citizens”.

It is a view echoed by Dr Tilarius Atia, another political analyst, who puts this survivalist mindset down to an abortive coup against Biya in 1984.

It means that for the vast majority of the population, Biya is the only president they have known – more than 60% of Cameroon’s 30 million people are below the age of 25.

Young political activist Marie Flore Mboussi is desperate for “new blood” as she believes “longevity in power inevitably leads to a kind of laziness”.

“After 43 years, the people are tired,” she tells the BBC.

The presidential election comes amid growing concerns about inflation, security challenges, poor social services, corruption and unemployment.

Youth unemployment has been a particular talking point for most of the candidates running in the election.

Michel Mvondo/BBC

Young people are more inclined to emigrate abroad because they tell themselves that inside the country, they do not have the possibility of becoming somebody”Vanina Nzekui, a 26-year-old graduate

Nearly 40% of young Cameroonians between the ages of 15 and 35 are unemployed, with 23% of young graduates facing challenges in obtaining formal employment, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

“Young people are more inclined to emigrate abroad because they tell themselves that inside the country, they do not have the possibility of becoming somebody,” 26-old-year graduate Vanina Nzekui tells the BBC.

“They tell themselves that all positions are occupied by older people,” she says, adding that this comes at the cost of using their skills to help develop the country.

But Aziseh Mbi, 23, believes age should not be a criterion for leadership.

In Biya’s case, the civil society activist says, the president has been able to do “significant things,” citing several youth initiatives.

Beyond youth unemployment, the electoral process has also stirred controversy, especially with the exclusion of Maurice Kamto from the presidential race.

In July the electoral body barred the 71-year-old opposition leader from running because a rival faction of the party that had endorsed him presented someone else as a candidate.

His exclusion, confirmed by the Constitutional Council, was widely criticised as a ploy to prevent any strong challenge to President Biya.

After coming second in the 2018 presidential election, Kamto claimed victory and organised street protests.

“The exclusion of Prof Kamto waters down the legitimacy of our democracy because we should have been fair enough to allow for everybody to partake,” says Dr Atia.

Mr Wanah agrees that the absence of the country’s main opposition figure “reinforces the perception that truly fair elections cannot take place in Cameroon”.

Twelve candidates were approved to contest for the country’s top job, including Issa Tchiroma Bakary and Bello Bouba Maigari – both former Biya allies from the north of the country. They resigned from their ministerial positions in government to take on their boss.

Lawmaker Cabral Libii, chairman of the opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) party Joshua Osih and Patricia Tomaïno Ndam Njoya – the lone female candidate – are also in the race.

At the launch of the election campaign, two aspirants, including renowned anti-corruption lawyer Akere Muna, withdrew their candidacies to support Maigari of the NUDP party. This means 10 people will now compete for the presidency.

Prior to the poll – which will only be a single-round vote as the person with the most votes will win – there had been widespread calls for the opposition to present a single candidate to challenge Biya, who has never lost an election.

Tchiroma Bakary has secured the support of the Union for Change, a coalition of more than 50 political groups and civil society organisations who presented him as the opposition’s consensus candidate.

But the initiative has failed to gain unanimity, with others refusing to rally behind him.

Kamto said he had held talks with some aspirants, including the two northern figures Tchiroma Bakary and Maigari, encouraging them to unite. As neither seemed ready to step down, he urged Cameroonians to vote for whomever they preferred.

Dr Atia reckons the failure to endorse one candidate under a single coalition will cost the opposition at the ballot box.

On the campaign trail, 76-year-old Tchiroma Bakary, a former government spokesperson, has been pulling big crowds – with some analysts positioning the Cameroon National Salvation Front party leader as Biya’s main challenger.

On Sunday, thousands of supporters waited for hours in the rain to see him in the economic capital Douala.

He has promised to reform the system of which he was a part for two decades.

Despite Tchiroma Bakary’s support base in the north, analysts say Biya is likely to overpower him and the other opposition candidates.

“President Biya just needs a slim majority to win the election, and I see him winning despite the efforts being made by the opposition,” says Dr Atia.

In Cameroon’s English-speaking North-West and South-West regions, where a long-running separatist conflict continues, an election boycott lockdown has been imposed, paralysing business activities, movement and education.

The separatists who have imposed it have threatened to target anyone who does vote.

“We have seen people [who] have been pulled out of their homes and slaughtered in cold blood, before, during, and even well after [previous] elections when they are identified,” Samah Abang-Mugwa, a resident of one of the Anglophone regions, tells the BBC – adding that he will not risk casting his ballot.

Since 2017, those seeking to create a breakaway state have been fighting government forces. They are angered by what they see as the marginalisation of Cameroon’s minority Anglophone community by the Francophone-dominated government.

The conflict has so far killed at least 6,000 people and forced nearly half a million others from their homes, according to the UN.

According to civil society activist Abine Ayah, the likely exclusion of much of the English-speaking community could undermine the legitimacy of the election.

Although Biya says his government has made significant efforts to resolve the conflict, his opponents in the presidential race continue to criticise his handling of the situation.

After Sunday’s vote, the Constitutional Council has 15 days to announce the results.

The interior minister has already warned that no candidate is allowed to declare victory beforehand.

Paul Atanga Nji made the comments on the eve of the last day of campaigning.

“Those who will attempt to announce results of the presidential election or any self-proclaimed victory in violation of the laws of the republic would have crossed the red line and should be ready to face the retaliatory measures commensurate to their crime.”

Culled from the BBC

Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor Balla who campaigned with Issa Tchiroma Bakary yesterday in Guider and Garoua in the North Region, says the lead candidate in the presidential election told him he would release Anglophone detainees within three months if he were elected president on 12 October.

“He assured me that within the next three months he will release all our brothers in detention,” said the human rights lawyer and political activist who flew to Garoua on yesterday morning and joined Tchiroma on the campaign trail.

Hundreds of Anglophone activists, including Sisiku Ayuk Tabe, Wilfred Tassang and eight other members of the “interim government” of the self-proclaimed Ambazonia republic, are serving life jail terms and other sentences. Many others are still awaiting trial.

Agbor Balla was the leader of the Anglophone Consortium that triggered the present Anglophone crisis in 2016. Following his arrest in early 2017, the crisis that began with demands for safeguards on Anglophone legal and education systems, snowballed into the present Ambazonia armed struggle under other leaders.

Agbor Balla declared his endorsement of Tchiroma in a statement issued from Garoua yesterday, saying, “Mr. Tchiroma’s recent public apology to Anglophones was not merely symbolic; it was a courageous and humane act of leadership. In acknowledging the pain and marginalization that many of our citizens have endured, he demonstrated humility and moral clarity; two qualities rarely seen in our political culture. It was a gesture that transcended politics, speaking directly to the conscience of our nation.

“Beyond apology, Mr. Tchiroma has articulated a bold vision for a transitional government, a peaceful and inclusive process aimed at rebuilding the foundations of our Republic. His proposal for a limited transitional mandate reflects the understanding that Cameroon must first heal, reconcile, and reform its institutions before it can truly prosper.

“My endorsement of Mr. Tchiroma is therefore not partisan. It is anchored in principle; the principle that our country’s salvation lies in dialogue, inclusion, and the moral courage to admit past wrongs and chart a new path forward.”

Agbor Balla later joined Tchiroma at campaign events in Guider and Garoua, both in Tchiroma’s home North Region.  Agbor Balla summarized his message at both campaign outings thus: “In both Guider and Garoua, my message was clear: …the power of the people is greater than the people in power.”

Speaking to me in Garoua after a day on the soapbox with the leading candidate in the election, Agbor Balla said, “I campaigned with Minister Tchiroma because I believe that the future of Cameroon must be built on dialogue, inclusion, and collaboration rather than division. Our country has suffered too long from polarization, mistrust, and exclusion.

“My decision was guided by the conviction that change will not come from isolation or rigid partisanship, but from engaging constructively even with those who may not share all our views. We may differ on certain issues, but we share a desire to see a peaceful, united, and democratic Cameroon.

“For me, standing alongside him was a statement that politics should be about ideas and the future of our nation, not enmity. Cameroon needs bridges, not walls.”                                                                                                                                       

Asked whether resolution of the Anglophone problem was part his discussions with Tchiroma, Agbor Balla said, “Yes, we discussed the Anglophone crisis, because it remains one of the most painful and unresolved issues in our country. Tchiroma has expressed his commitment to pursuing dialogue, justice, and reconciliation as the only sustainable path forward.”

By Franklin Sone Bayen on special assignment in Garoua

Cameroon’s electoral body Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) said Friday that 8,010,464 people have registered to vote in the country’s upcoming presidential election.

The voters include 3,716,567 women and 4,293,897 men, ELECAM said in a statement, adding that the vote will take place on Sunday at over 31,000 polling stations nationwide. Twelve candidates, including incumbent President Paul Biya, are competing in this election.

More than 6,500,000 people voted in the country’s last presidential election in 2018.

In a press conference on Friday, Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji warned that plans to disturb the poll “will not be tolerated and will face the full force of the law.”

Source: Xinhuanet

NUDP SG, Flambeau Ngayap suggests coalition still possible even this weekend

Issa Tchiroma Bakary’s vehicle drove out of the venue of what should have been his final rally in the Far North Region at about 7 :30pm this Thursday, abandoning thousands of supporters at the venue. Party officials say his motorcade left because of crowd disorder.

The Marche La Comice, which is now a cattle market in Maroua was filling up with supporters and FSNC militants since the afternoon, though the party’s candidate only arrived after nightfall. A security cordon put in place by local party officials and volunteers, and rehearsed to ensure Tchiroma was not mobbed as has been seen elsewhere, was broken by excited supporters when candidate’s motorcade drove into the venue. Security was overwhelmed.

For about an hour, Tchiroma waited in his car for calm to return to permit him to step out and mount the podium. When he stood up to face the crowd through the slide roof-top of his vehicle, supporters went wild with excitement. The more security pushed the crowds back, the more they surged forward. The candidate was forced to return into his car.

At about 7:30pm, Tchiroma’s vehicle slowly drove out of the venue without a word about what next: event posted to the next day or definitely cancelled? 

Fight for the Northern Regions

Tchiroma arrived in Maroua this Thursday from Mora and other parts of the Far North Region where he campaigned since he returned to the northern regions on Tuesday. He had campaigned in the West, Bamenda, Buea, Limbe and Douala last weekend before, pulling mammoth crowds everywhere.

His northern rival, Bello Bouba Maigari, who could become his ally at the end of the campaigns if declarations, even hushed, by certain party, can be taken seriously, has also been criss-crossing the northern regions, especially the vote-rich Far North, both men about on each other’s tracks.

This week of campaigning by both men looks like they are in a dog fight for dominance in their traditional fief. An observer in Maroua said yesterday, “The way Bello and Tchiroma are focused on the northern regions, especially the Far North, it looks like they are campaigning for local elections, for whose party would win more parliamentary and municipal council seats.”

Reacting, a journalist covering both campaigns said, the reason is likely because of the huge northern vote because, though the Far North Region alone accounts for over 16 percent of the national electorate, second to the Centre Region, the three northern regions together hold over 33 percent of the electorate and have similar voting patterns. Hence, “who the three northern regions vote for, could emerge the winner in this election,” the journalist said.

Coalition Still Possible?

Political commentators across the country and on social media are still hopeful that Bello and Tchiroma can pull together even at the last minute, though a statement issued by Bello’s NUDP on Wednesday, expressed bitterness over a remark on Monday by Tchiroma over Equinoxe TV, decribing Bello as a political lightweight. That notwithstanding, a comment by NUDP’s Secretary General Pierre Flambeau on Wednesday over Equinoxce TV might has rekindled hopes of a possible normalization of relations between the two northern rivals, paving the way for a last minute coalition. Ngayap said he did not want to divulge behind the scenes actions.

Bello Bouba is expected to hold a campaign rally in Maroua tomorrow, before moving back home to Garoua for his closing rallies, like Tchiroma. All eyes are on Garoua this weekend for the last ditch hope of a coalition between the two northern heavyweights.

By Franklin Sone Bayen on special assignment in Maroua

President Paul Biya on Monday made his first major appearance of the election campaign in his run for an eighth straight term as the world’s oldest head of state.

With five days to go before the vote, Biya — aged 92, and in power since 1982 — addressed supporters at a stadium in Maroua, in the Far North region. It was his first public appearance since May of this year.

“My determination to serve you remains intact,” he told the crowd of several hundred supporters from the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement. “I ask you once again for your precious support.”

His 25-minute speech focused on youth, women and infrastructure.

“My goal is for every young person, wherever they are, to easily find a job or start a business. No young person, whether they are a graduate or not, will be left behind,” he said.

Organizers said nearly 25,000 people were expected at the rally, but only a few hundred showed up, AFP correspondents present estimated.

Maroua, a city bordering Nigeria and Chad, is a key electoral battleground with 1.22 million registered voters, but regularly affected by attacks from the jihadist group Boko Haram.

Maurice Kamto, an opposition figure whose candidacy was rejected in August, has called on voters “to vote freely” after the failure of discussions for a unified opposition candidacy.

Source: AFP

Tens of thousands of people gathered behind the esplanade of the Omnisports stadium in Douala on Sunday to listen to presidential candidate and former minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary. 

Despite eight hours of waiting and rain in Cameroon’s economic capital, supporters were not discouraged as they promised to cast their vote for the candidate of the Cameroon National Salvation Front.

“He is so beloved by the Cameroonian people, and I don’t think we’ve ever seen a crowd like the one today,” said supporter Mohamadou Hadji.

“This is a great testament to the Cameroonian people’s support for Issa Tchiroma Bakary, to whom we promise a 100% victory on 12 October,” he added.

Issa Tchiroma arrived in Douala like a rockstar, surrounded by a sea of people.

He came from rallies in the English-speaking cities of Buea and Limbé and addressed the crowd that had been waiting for him along the way.

Issa Tchiroma also directly appealed to incumbent president Paul Biya, urging him to acknowledge his defeat on the evening of the upcoming election.

“You will call your opponent, who was chosen by the people, to say, ‘Mr. President, I concede defeat. Congratulations, and today you will go down in history!’,” Tchiroma told the crowd.

For the audience, the rally was a historic effort that will need to be confirmed in the ballot box.

“All we want is for us to all vote for the same person[and] to monitor our votes and check our ballots, so that on the evening of 12 October, we can proclaim our own victory, and that President Tchiroma becomes President of Cameroon”, said supporter Taddoum Moïse.

The candidate also took the opportunity to denounce the threats he has received from the current administration.

He went on to warn the territorial administration, the electoral commission, and the Constitutional Council that the people will demand his victory by any means necessary in case of fraud on the night of the election.

Source: Africa News

Cameroon will hold presidential elections on Sunday, October 12, 2025.  While the U.S. Mission in Cameroon assesses the likelihood of violence or significant negative impact on U.S. government personnel to be low, there is always the potential for large gatherings.  Cameroonian law enforcement is expected to maintain an increased presence during the elections and roadblocks may be in place.  Most businesses, including restaurants and grocery stores, are likely to be closed.  It is also possible the Government of Cameroon will close borders and restrict flights, which could result in delays or cancellations.

The U.S. Mission in Cameroon reminds U.S. citizens to remain vigilant and encourages everyone to take steps to enhance their personal   safety and security.

Actions to Take:

• Always carry official identification.
• Avoid large crowds or gatherings.
• Always cooperate with authorities. This is a busy period for law enforcement, and you can help them keep you safe by being polite and following lawful instructions.
• Always carry a charged cell phone and ensure that emergency numbers are programmed into all your mobile devices.
• Since stores and markets will be closed on Sunday, October 12, consider completing any shopping or other errands in advance. Be aware that stores may be crowded.

Assistance:

U.S Embassy Yaoundé
Republic of Cameroon
6.050 Rosa Parks Avenue
P.O.Box 817

Cameroon’s voters will decide on October 12 whether to grant 92-year-old President Paul Biya, the world’s oldest head of state, an extension of his four-decade rule. Here is what investors are watching in the race to lead central Africa’s biggest economy:

WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES IN THE ELECTION?

Biya, who has been in power since 1982, is facing a dozen other candidates in an election in which more than 8 million voters are eligible to cast ballots. But at the helm of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) party, he controls the electoral machinery and is almost certain to win.

The main opposition challengers include Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former minister of employment, and Bello Bouba Maigari, whom Biya appointed as his first prime minister when he took power.

But the opposition is more noteworthy for one absence: Maurice Kamto, Biya’s main rival. The electoral commission rejected his candidacy in July without giving a reason.

Kamto secured 14% of the votes cast during the last election in 2018, which Biya won amid fraud allegations.

WHAT ARE THE TOP ISSUES FOR INVESTORS?

Cameroon, like other Sub-Saharan African countries, started issuing Eurobond debt in the last decade, putting it on the radar of frontier market investors.

It issued its maiden international bond in 2015, before tapping the market again last year with an issue that will mature in 2032.

The country also had a $689.5 million International Monetary Fund programme, as well as $181.7 million from the Resilience and Sustainability Facility, both of which ended in July. Investors will be watching to see if it will secure a new arrangement.

Cameroon’s economy is reliant on commodities exports; it is the world’s fifth biggest cocoa producer and also exports oil, gas and timber. This leaves it vulnerable to the vicissitudes of commodity price slumps.

WHAT ECONOMIC CHALLENGES WILL THE WINNER FACE?

The IMF classifies Cameroon’s debt as sustainable – but at high risk of distress. Analysts have warned that its rising reliance on borrowing as well as inefficiencies in its debt management could increase the country’s vulnerability to shocks.

That could pose a problem for the winner as the government seeks to borrow $1.6 billion locally and abroad to plug a financing gap, amid falling disbursements from donors.

Cameroon’s debut $750 million bond also matures next month, which could drain some cash from government coffers, although officials have not yet commented on plans to manage the maturing bond.

The winner will also have to address the financial sector in order to exit the global Financial Action Task Force’s “grey list”, a determination that its system is susceptible to money laundering.

Cameroon has also been dealing with increased climate catastrophes, including droughts and floods, which have pressured the agriculture sector and could curb production of key commodities.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER FACTORS AT PLAY?

Investors also closely watch Biya’s health, as his advanced age and the lack of a clear succession plan, raise concerns over the country’s stability.

Biya would be nearly 100 years old at the end of the eighth term in office he is seeking.

His health is the subject of frequent speculation, and he already often spends long periods of unexplained time in Europe, including last year when he disappeared from public view for a 42-day stretch.

He has brushed off concerns about his health and said he was determined to serve the country.

Cameroon also faces a host of serious security challenges, including a conflict with Anglophone separatists in the southwest and the northwest and threats from Nigeria-based Islamist fighters in the north.

Source: Reuters