The fourth national recensement au Cameroun is currently navigating a period of considerable difficulty. Originally slated to conclude on May 29th, the comprehensive population and housing enumeration effort has been granted a two-month extension by a decree signed by Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute. Far from alleviating concerns, this decision has intensified criticism from various civil society organizations, which are highlighting significant organizational flaws in what should be a foundational statistical undertaking for public policy development.
Philippe Nanga, coordinator for the non-governmental organization Un Monde Avenir, offered an unvarnished assessment, describing a “general cacophony” surrounding a process he considers paramount for national planning. Nanga pointed to a striking example of logistical disarray: in Douala, the nation’s economic hub, census enumerators reportedly abandoned their duties after only ten days in the field, citing a complete lack of remuneration.
A strategic statistical operation under pressure
For any nation, a robust census serves as the bedrock of governmental action. It directly influences electoral redistricting, the allocation of budgetary resources to local authorities, the appropriate sizing of educational and health infrastructure, and the credibility of macroeconomic forecasts. Cameroon, whose last official count dates back to 2005, has for years grappled with a critical deficit of up-to-date demographic information. Consequently, the stakes for this fourth edition extended far beyond merely updating figures.
The two-month extension implicitly reveals the magnitude of the challenges encountered on the ground. These difficulties have accumulated since the operation’s inception, encompassing incomplete coverage in rural areas, delays in equipment delivery, and insufficient training for some enumerators. The labor dispute initiated by agents in Douala further underscores a more systemic vulnerability within the payment chain and the human resource management supporting such an extensive undertaking.
Civil society monitors a critical process
Through Un Monde Avenir, Philippe Nanga embodies a segment of Cameroonian citizen organizations that meticulously scrutinize major institutional processes. His public statements aim less to discredit the census itself than to demand accountability for its execution. Beneath the criticism lies a fundamental question: will the results produced under these conditions be statistically reliable and politically unimpeachable? This is not a trivial concern in a country where controversies surrounding official statistics, whether demographic or electoral, are recurrent.
The extension mandated by the Prime Minister’s office theoretically provides a window for rectification. However, this hinges on the availability of adequate financial resources. Observing NGOs are cautioning that a rushed operation risks delivering 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 message to public authorities
Beyond Cameroon’s specific situation, this debate highlights a common challenge for 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 nation still struggles to adhere to sustainable timelines for its statistical operations.
Nevertheless, Philippe Nanga’s public intervention could significantly influence the public discourse as the extended deadline approaches. Authorities are expected to demonstrate 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.
