By Brian Mboh
The Head of State, President Paul Biya, has said self- employment is the way out of the perennial issue of rising youth unemployment in Cameroon.
The address was in prelude to the 60th edition of the Youth Day. The day was celebrated all over the national territory on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. This was under the theme: “Youth at the heart of great hopes for a united, stable and prosperous Cameroon.”
President Paul Biya said he is in the know of the problem of youth unemployment and the quest for young people to be part of the nation building process. He however, said, such could not be done by the Government alone.
He talked of being aware of the difficulties, youth encounter in finding a job, prompting many to give up on their dreams they embark on, to engage into dangerous ventures.
He says, as promised in his recent speeches, that youth integration into the labour market would be one of the main priorities of his seven-year term, through numerous projects.
“That is the objective of the Special Youth Employment Promotion Plan that I recently announced.”
“The Government has already prepared related incentive measures. The Plan aims to foster genuine synergy between the State, the private sector and the wider society to promote job creation for young people,” he said. “In this regard, I would like to mention, among other things, tax exemptions granted to businesses that recruit young graduates, the allocation of 50 billion CFA francs provided for in the Finance Law to promote youth entrepreneurship, the increase in subsidies to the National Employment Fund, and measures taken to integrate young people into State-financed labour-intensive works.”
For him, all these efforts to the youth, marks the start of implementation of the commitments made recently.
Biya reaffirms commitment to creation of training facilities
He says his objective is to offer youth, possible opportunities to access quality training, that will enable them not only to find jobs, but also to create them.
“As you are aware, recruitment in the public sector or enterprises cannot alone fully resolve the thorny issue of youth unemployment. That is why I will continue to encourage youth entrepreneurship and ensure that young people receive appropriate government support to that end”, he said.
Cameroonian youth commended on their resilience
Despite the challenging context, he was pleased to note that many youth are excelling in the agricultural processing, construction, services and digital sectors where young start-ups and businesses create jobs each day.
“With each passing day, you distinguish yourselves with boldness and competence in all areas of national life,” he added.
Biya calls on youth to be more responsible
The Head of State, besides their rights, called on youth responsibilities towards their parents and the national community. He appealed especially to their high sense of responsibility.
“The future of our beloved and great country, Cameroon, lies in your hands. You must be aware of this. You should therefore resolutely shun the excesses in which some of you have unfortunately drifted in recent times, including delinquency, alcohol abuse, drug use, immoral behaviour, the excessive and abusive use of social media, etc,” he said.
He also urged on parents and educators to act responsibly. They must fully assume their responsibility towards their children and refrain from tolerating, facilitating or encouraging their deviant behaviour.
“I have issued firm instructions to the relevant authorities to strengthen the protection of young girls in schools, families and workplaces, as they are too often victims of all kinds of harassment and abuse,” he explained.
