Cameroon After Paul Biya – Poverty, Uncertainty and a Precarious Succession Battle

Cameroon’s President Paul Biya is 91 years old. He is Africa’s oldest head of state and only one has served longer: President Teodoro Obiang Nguema of neighbouring Equatorial Guinea, who is 82 years old.

Biya has been Cameroon’s president since 1982. Prior to that, he was prime minister from 1975.

In recent weeks there has been growing speculation about the nonagenarian’s health. Some rumours even suggested that he had died. This led the Cameroonian government to issue a statement banning all…