Forever President? Cameroon’s Biya Seeks Re-Election at 92

On July 13, 2025, Cameroon’s 92-year-old president, declared his intention to run for an eighth termin the upcoming elections scheduled for October 12, 2025. At an age when most people have long retired, Biya is not only staying in the race, he’s doubling down.

With 42 years in power, Biya is Africa’s second-longest-ruling leader, only behind Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea. Globally, he is now the oldest sitting head of state, a fact that has sparked debate, dismay, and frustration across the country and beyond.

When Paul Biya first took power on November 6, 1982, Ronald Reagan was U.S. president, Nigeria was under military rule, and the Berlin Wall was still standing. Four decades later, Biya remains in office outlasting seven French presidents, six UK prime ministers, and all nine presidents of the African Union.

In 2008, Biya scrapped presidential term limits through a controversial constitutional amendment, allowing himself to run for office indefinitely. This effectively turned what was supposed to be a democratic republic into a one-man show  and one that hasn’t changed its lead actor in over four decades.

Biya’s supporters describe him as a wise, patient leader who has kept Cameroon relatively stable in a volatile region. But for many Cameroonians, especially the youth, his leadership has brought more pain than progress. Despite Cameroon’s natural resources, economic development under Biya has stagnated. Unemployment is high, youth joblessness is rampant, and nearly 40% of the population lives below the poverty line. Infrastructure lags behind neighboring countries, and corruption continues to cripple public services.

Many citizens, especially the youth (who make up over 60% of the population), are disillusioned. They’ve never known another leader and are desperate for change. Some worry that another Biya term could worsen the country’s economic, political, and security-related crises.

Religious leaders have also spoken out. Catholic bishops and civil society actors have publicly urged Biya to step aside, calling his re-election bid “unrealistic” and “dangerous for democracy.”

Perhaps the most alarming issue isn’t just that Biya is running again but that there is no visible succession plan. What happens if the aging leader becomes incapacitated while in office? What if political tensions explode?

The lack of institutional transparency and generational transition has left Cameroon vulnerable. Instead of grooming new leaders, Biya has surrounded himself with loyalists, some as old as he is.

At 92, Paul Biya’s leadership represents continuity but also stagnation. Many Cameroonians, especially youth, voice a desire for generational leadership, transparency, and accountability. As the presidential election nears, Cameroon faces not only political turbulence but the existential dilemma of what true renewal might look like.

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