In Cameroon, young people are a recurring theme in presidential speeches—praised as the future, invoked as national assets. But beyond these lofty declarations lies a stinging contradiction: Cameroon’s youth are among the most marginalized, underemployed, and abandoned segments of society.
The latest video by ADISI Cameroon, featured in our Welcome to the Kleptolands series, captures this dissonance with stark clarity. It reveals how young Cameroonians—full of potential—are routinely sidelined, absorbed into the informal economy, or manipulated into political tokenism.
From Hope to Exploitation: Youth in a Kleptocratic State
Cameroon’s unemployment statistics are often distorted by officials to paint a rosier picture. But the reality on the ground speaks otherwise:
- The vast majority of youth survive in precarious informal jobs.
- Meaningful career pathways are blocked by nepotism, lack of opportunity, and systemic neglect.
- Political participation is reduced to spectacle, not substance.
And then came COVID-19—a crisis that amplified every injustice.
The White Elephant of COVID-19
In 2020, the Cameroonian government mobilized more than 180 billion CFA francs (~$330 million USD) for its COVID-19 response. The promise was national protection. The reality was elite plunder.
As detailed in our investigative report, Cameroon: The White Elephant of COVID-19, the emergency fund became a feeding trough for cronies. Among the findings:
- Hospitals never received the equipment they were promised.
- Critical public contracts were awarded without transparency or follow-up.
- A mobile testing project worth 4 billion CFA francs vanished without a trace.
Meanwhile, young people—at the heart of the informal economy and often first responders during the pandemic—were left with no support, no protection, and no answers.
Youth Left Behind
Cameroon’s youth were at the frontline of the pandemic, but also on the frontlines of corruption’s consequences:
- Health measures shut down their informal workplaces, but no safety nets followed.
- The few who dared to ask questions were met with silence or repression.
- And yet, the official discourse kept parading them as “the future.”
This is the heart of the kleptocratic contradiction: those who suffer the most are often the ones co-opted to sustain the system.
Why It Matters
Corruption isn’t just about financial loss. It’s about futures denied. Dreams deferred. Dignity erased.
What happened in Cameroon during COVID-19 is a warning. It reminds us that in kleptocracies, even pandemics are politicized—and youth bear the brunt.
But stories like this—told by courageous voices like ADISI Cameroon—are a call to action. A call to accountability. A call to not forget.
