The fourth national recensement au Cameroun is currently navigating a period of significant turbulence. Initially slated to conclude on May 29th, the comprehensive population and housing enumeration exercise has been extended by two months through a decree signed by Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute. Far from alleviating concerns, this decision has intensified criticism from various segments of civil society, who are vocally pointing out severe organizational deficiencies in what should be a foundational statistical undertaking for public policy formulation.

Philippe Nanga, coordinator of the non-governmental organization Un Monde Avenir, did not mince words, describing a “general cacophony” surrounding a process he deems critical for national planning. Nanga highlighted a particularly telling example of logistical disarray: in Douala, Cameroon’s economic capital, census agents reportedly abandoned their duties after just ten days in the field, having received no compensation whatsoever.

strategic statistical operation under pressure

For any nation, a census serves as the cornerstone of public action. It directly influences electoral redistricting, the allocation of budgetary resources to local communities, the appropriate sizing of educational and health infrastructures, and the overall credibility of macroeconomic projections. Cameroon, whose last official count dates back to 2005, has for years grappled with a significant deficit of up-to-date demographic information. The stakes for this fourth edition, therefore, extended far beyond a mere numerical update.

The two-month extension implicitly reveals the sheer scale of difficulties encountered on the ground. These challenges have accumulated since the operation’s launch, including incomplete coverage of rural areas, delays in material delivery, and insufficient training for some enumerators. The social unrest triggered by agents in Douala further illuminates a more structural vulnerability: the fragility of the payment chain and the management of human resources mobilized for such an extensive national project.

civil society scrutinizes vital process

Through Un Monde Avenir, Philippe Nanga embodies a segment of Cameroonian citizen organizations that meticulously scrutinize major institutional processes. His public statements are less about discrediting the operation itself and more about demanding accountability for its execution. Beneath the criticism lies a fundamental question: will the results produced under these conditions be statistically reliable and politically incontestable? This is no trivial matter in a nation where disputes over official figures, whether demographic or electoral, are a recurring phenomenon.

The extension decreed by the Prime Minister’s office theoretically provides a window for rectification. However, this hinges on the availability of sufficient financial resources. NGOs observing the process are issuing warnings about the risk that a rushed operation might 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), who traditionally support such exercises across the continent, are also closely monitoring the methodological rigor of national enumerations.

a clear message to public authorities

Beyond the specific case of Cameroon, this debate reflects a common challenge faced by several Francophone African states: organizing exhaustive censuses within contexts marked by tight budgetary constraints, difficult-to-access territories, and security challenges 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 country continues to struggle with maintaining feasible timelines for its statistical operations.

Nevertheless, Philippe Nanga’s public intervention could carry significant weight in the public discourse as the additional deadline approaches. Authorities are expected to demonstrate transparency in the system, regularize outstanding payments owed to field agents, and communicate interim indicators. Failing this, the fourth census risks being remembered in Cameroonian administrative history more for its failures than for its scientific contributions.