The fourth national recensement au Cameroun is currently navigating a period of significant difficulty. Initially scheduled for completion on May 29th, the comprehensive population and housing enumeration effort saw its deadline extended by two months through a decree signed by Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute. This decision, however, has not eased tensions; instead, it has fueled criticism from various civil society organizations, which are pointing to severe organizational failures in what should be a foundational statistical exercise for public policy formulation.
Philippe Nanga, coordinator for the non-governmental organization Un Monde Avenir, expressed strong disapproval, characterizing the process as a “general cacophony.” He emphasized the critical importance of this undertaking for national planning. Nanga highlighted a particularly telling example of logistical disarray: in Douala, the nation’s economic hub, census agents reportedly abandoned their duties after just ten days in the field, citing a complete lack of payment for their work.
A strategic statistical operation under pressure
For any nation, a census serves as the bedrock of public administration. It directly influences electoral redistricting, the allocation of budgetary resources to local authorities, the appropriate sizing of educational and healthcare infrastructure, and the credibility of macroeconomic projections. Cameroon, whose last official count dates back to 2005, has faced a deficit of current demographic data for many years. Consequently, the stakes for this fourth edition extended far beyond a simple numerical update.
The two-month extension implicitly reveals the extent of the challenges encountered on the ground. These difficulties have been numerous since the operation’s launch, including incomplete coverage of rural areas, delays in equipment delivery, and inadequate training for some enumerators. The social unrest among agents in Douala, in particular, underscores a more systemic vulnerability: issues within the payment chain and the management of human resources deployed for such a large-scale undertaking.
Civil society as a watchdog for a vital process
Philippe Nanga, through Un Monde Avenir, represents a segment of Cameroonian civic organizations closely scrutinizing major institutional processes. His public statements aim less at discrediting the operation itself and more at demanding accountability for its execution. Beneath the criticism lies a fundamental question: will the results produced under these conditions be statistically reliable and politically undeniable? This is not a trivial concern in a country where disputes over official figures, whether demographic or electoral, are frequent.
The extension mandated by the Prime Minister’s office theoretically provides an opportunity for recovery. Yet, adequate financial resources must be allocated to support this. NGOs observing the process are warning of the risk that a hastily completed operation could ultimately provide only a partial snapshot of the Cameroonian population. Moreover, international donors, such as the World Bank and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which traditionally support such exercises across the continent, are also closely monitoring the methodological rigor of national enumerations.
A clear signal sent to public authorities
Beyond Cameroon’s specific situation, this discussion highlights a common challenge for several Francophone African states: conducting comprehensive censuses within contexts marked by tight budgetary constraints, difficult-to-access territories, and security concerns in certain regions. Cameroon’s previous census in 2005 also experienced successive postponements before its final results were published in 2010. Two decades later, the nation still struggles to adhere to feasible timelines for its statistical operations.
Nevertheless, Philippe Nanga’s outspokenness could significantly influence public discourse as the extended deadline approaches. Authorities are expected to ensure transparency in the process, regularize outstanding payments owed to field agents, and communicate intermediate indicators. Failing this, the fourth census risks being remembered in Cameroonian administrative history more for its shortcomings than for its scientific contributions.
