Cameroon’s leadership remains elderly despite country’s overwhelmingly young population

Cameroon

Cameroon’s population is young, vibrant and active yet its leaders are some of the oldest in the world. With a median age of just 18 and over 60 percent of its nearly 30 million citizens under 25, the country’s leadership remains firmly in the hands of men in their 80s and 90s who have held power for decades.

President Paul Biya, 92, has ruled since 1982, making him the world’s oldest serving head of state. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Cavayé Yéguié Djibril, is 85; the Senate President, Marcel Niat Njifenji, is 90; the Minister of Justice, Laurent Esso, is 83; and the Chief of Defence Staff, René Claude Meka, is 86. Together, they represent a political order that has barely changed in over 40 years.

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“The general perception is negative,” said Kibang Cedrick Zuo-Kom, a research lead at Conflict Lab in Cameroon. “Over 60 percent of the population are youth who have not known any other top leader in the country. There’s a trans-generational deadlock where the aspirations of young people are completely divorced from the policies being implemented.”

Analysts say this leadership gap has deep implications for the country’s development and stability. Jervin Naidoo, a political analyst at Oxford Economics Africa, said the disconnect between an ageing elite and a youthful population “manifests in policies that favour political control over innovation and inclusion,” leaving many young Cameroonians excluded from decision-making.

“Leaders in their 80s and 90s may struggle to understand or prioritise the concerns of a population with a median age of 18,” Naidoo said. “It risks weakening trust in state institutions and fuelling frustration among young people.”

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According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), 36.89 percent of Cameroonians are between 15 and 35 years old. Despite this demographic strength, young people remain largely absent from governance structures. The ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), which has dominated politics since Biya came to power, offers little space for generational renewal.

“The CPDM has no plans for the youth,” said Zuo-Kom. “They are mostly used for rallies and campaign work. The top leadership is still controlled by the old guard, with almost no young faces in decision-making positions.”

For young people, entering politics is both financially and structurally difficult. The caution fee to contest for president, for example, is 30 million CFA francs — an impossible amount for most in a country where youth unemployment and underemployment are widespread.

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“The electoral laws also work against them,” Zuo-Kom said. “The voting age starts at 20, while the median age of the population is 18. That already puts a huge number of young people outside the political space.”

Oru Allen Agbor, a political scientist based in Cameroon, added that the barriers are not just economic but systemic. “There’s a culture of repression and exclusion,” he said. “Young people who try to mobilise politically face intimidation, infiltration or violence. The system rewards loyalty over competence.”

Agbor also pointed to globalisation and digital connectivity as double-edged swords for Cameroonian youth. “Social media has given young people a voice and exposed them to global ideas, but it’s also made them targets of state surveillance and misinformation,” he said. “Some end up disillusioned or radicalised, while others migrate, draining the country of its most talented minds.”

Migration, he noted, has become both an escape and a symptom of frustration. “The diaspora can influence politics from abroad, but many who leave rarely return. It’s a brain drain that weakens domestic activism.”

Experts warn that if the generational divide persists, Cameroon could face deepening instability. “Without a clear succession plan or inclusive governance reforms, the country risks political stagnation and rising social unrest,” said Naidoo. “The energy of its young people is being wasted, and that’s a ticking time bomb.”

For now, Cameroon’s gerontocracy endures steady but disconnected from the population it governs. As the old guard holds firm, the country’s youthful majority continues to wait, their hopes for renewal suspended between resilience and resignation.

Faith Omoboye is a foreign affairs correspondent with background in History and International relations. Her work focuses on African politics, diplomacy, and global governance.

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