Presidential Candidates for Cameroon 2025
1. Hermine Patricia Tomaïno Ndam Njoya
Party: Cameroon Democratic Union (CDU)
Date of Birth: January 26, 1969 (Age: 56)
Profile: Hermine Patricia Tomaïno Ndam Njoya is a Cameroonian politician, entrepreneur, and author. She has been the president of the Union Démocratique du Cameroun (UDC) since the national convention of 2021. Hon. Tomaïno Ndam Njoya served as a member of parliament at the National Assembly of Cameroon from 2007 to 2020. She is currently the mayor of Foumban in the West Region of Cameroon and the spokesperson for the Regional Council of the West Region.
Education: University of Yaoundé; People's International Institute, Histadrut.
Family: Mother of three and widow of Adamou Ndam Njoya, the national president of the UDC. She heads a coffee company and has been the president of the Association of Cameroonian Women in Coffee (AFECC) since 2016.
2. Hiram Samuel Iyodi
Party: Cameroonian Democratic Front (CDF)
Date of Birth: August 29, 1987 (Age: 37)
Profile: Hiram Iyodi is a Cameroonian engineer, entrepreneur, and politician. He is the presidential candidate for the CDF party. He has served in several positions:
- Executive Secretary of the Patriotic Movement for the Prosperity of the People (MP3) since 2019.
- Coordinator of the Political Program for the NOW Movement (Akere Muna) from 2017 to 2018.
- President of the Synergy of Cameroonian Youth (SJC) from 2012 to 2016.
- President of the Association of Cameroonians in Quebec City (ACQ) from 2008 to 2009.
Education: Laval University, Quebec.
Notable Work: In 2011, he published My Dreams as a Young Person: Cameroon in the Next 50 Years, outlining his vision for Cameroon by 2060.
3. Akere Muna
Party: UNIVERS
Date of Birth: August 18, 1952 (Age: 72)
Profile: Akere Tabeng Muna is a distinguished Cameroonian lawyer and a key figure in the fight against corruption in Africa. He currently serves on the African Union High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows and is Co-Chair of the Common African Position on Asset Recovery (CAPAR). His extensive background includes notable roles such as:
- Sanctions Commissioner of the African Development Bank Group since February 2013.
- Vice Chair of Transparency International from 2005 to 2014.
- President* of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union from 2008 to 2014.
- Education: American University.
- Political Aspirations: He resigned from multiple prestigious positions in 2017 to run for President in the 2018 elections, emphasizing the importance of transparency.
4. Issa Tchiroma Bakary
Party: Cameroon National Salvation Front (CNSF)
Date of Birth: September 10, 1949 (Age: 75)
Profile: Issa Tchiroma Bakary is a long-time ally of President Paul Biya and a seasoned politician. He served as Minister of Employment and Vocational Training from 2019 to 2025, and previously as Minister of Communication from 2009 to 2019 and Minister of Transport from 1992 to 1996.
Background: Born in Garoua, he was trained in France and worked as a railway engineer before entering politics. After resigning from his ministerial position in June 2025, he announced his candidacy for the presidential elections.
5. Cabral Libii Li Ngué
Party: Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation (PCRN)
Date of Birth: March 29, 1980 (Age: 45)
Profile: Cabral Libii is a journalist, law instructor, and Member of Parliament, elected in February 2020. He has been vocal in criticizing the Electoral Code and ran for the presidency at age 38 in 2018, finishing third. He became head of the PCRN in 2019 and launched a campaign aimed at registering 11 million voters.
Education: University of Yaoundé II.
Notable Work: Author of *Community Federalism, which sparked debate on political structure in Cameroon.
6. Joshua Osih
Party: Social Democratic Front (SDF)
Date of Birth: December 9, 1968 (Age: 56)
Profile: Joshua Nambangi Osih is the Chairman of the SDF and the first Anglophone to serve as a Parliamentarian in Douala since 2013. He has over 25 years of experience in the aviation industry and is an established entrepreneur.
Education: MBA in Leadership and Sustainability.
Political History: He was the SDF candidate for the 2018 presidential elections.
7. Bello Bouba Maigari
Party: National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP)
Date of Birth: 1947 (Age: 78)
Profile: Maigari has served as the President of UNDP since 1992. He held the position of Minister of Tourism and Leisure from December 2011 until his resignation in July 2025. Previously, he was Minister of Transport from 1984 to 1988 and the sixth Prime Minister under President Paul Biya from 1982 to 1983.
Background: Educated in Yaoundé and France, he has been involved in politics since the early 1960s, advocating for democratic reforms and electoral transparency.
8. Seta Caxton Ateki
Party: Liberal Alliance Party (PAL)
Date of Birth: 1986 (Age: 39)
Profile: A former civil society activist, Seta Caxton Ateki is currently a PhD candidate in Economics and Political Economy. He has represented Cameroon internationally and held prominent roles, including Chairperson of the African Movement for Democracy and Hurford Youth Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy.
Notable Contributions: Founder of NEWSETA, focused on youth empowerment, and led the "Vote18" campaign to lower the voting age.
9. Pierre Kwemo
Party: Union of Socialist Movements (UMS)
Date of Birth: September 12, 1959 (Age: 65)
Profile: Kwemo is a member of Parliament for Upper Nkam and a sports promoter. He began his political career with the SDF, becoming a member of Parliament in 1997. After two terms and serving as Vice-President of the National Assembly, he pursued an independent political career.
Political Involvement: His political party joined forces with other opposition parties to form the "Union for Change" parliamentary group.
10. Dr. Jacques Bouhga-Hagbe
Party:
Date of Birth: November 30, 1974 (Age: 50)
Profile: Dr. Bouhga-Hagbe is a prominent economist with a Ph.D. from Cornell University and nearly 22 years of experience at the International Monetary Fund. His expertise covers fiscal and monetary policy and public financial management.
Vision: Believes in Africa's potential and the need for visionary leadership to drive progress.
11. Serge Espoir Matomba
Party:
Date of Birth: September 30, 1979 (Age: 45)
Profile: Matomba is the First Secretary of the People United for Social Renewal (PURS) and a municipal councilor for Douala 4. He has been an outspoken critic of the current regime and has advocated for inclusive dialogue regarding the Anglophone crisis.
Political History: Participated in the 2018 presidential elections and has called for President Biya's resignation.
12. Paul Biya
Party:
Date of Birth: February 13, 1933 (Age: 92)
Profile: Paul Biya has been the President of Cameroon since 1982, making him the second-longest-ruling president in Africa. He previously served as Prime Minister and has navigated significant political changes, including the introduction of multiparty politics.