Cameroon’s Octogenarian President Paul Biya’s Digital Charm Offensive Ahead of 8th Term Bid

Yaoundé, Cameroon – At 92 years old, Paul Biya, Cameroon’s long-serving president and one of the world’s oldest heads of state, is embarking on an unprecedented digital campaign to secure an eighth term in office this October. However, his efforts to connect with the nation’s overwhelmingly young population through social media appear to be hitting a wall, according to analysts and young Cameroonians.

Biya’s recent surge in online activity, with daily posts on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), marks a stark departure from his previously sporadic digital presence. This intensified outreach began even before his official confirmation last week that he would seek re-election, signalling a deliberate strategy to court younger voters who constitute over 60% of the population and more than half of the electorate.

Despite this newfound digital zeal, experts suggest the strategy is largely missing its mark. Rostant Tane, director of Media Intelligence Sarl, points out that while Cameroon boasts 5.4 million social media users, a staggering 95% of young people primarily use WhatsApp – a platform where the presidential communication is “nearly non-existent.” Tane further criticizes the lack of “regional segmentation, interactivity, and very little effort to speak the digital language of young people.”

The issue of authenticity also looms large. Hervé Tiwa, a lecturer in communication sciences, notes, “Many know that it is not Paul Biya himself who is writing – which creates distance and limits trust.” He adds that the communication remains “very top-down without any real interaction – comments ignored or deleted, a lack of personalised responses… This gives the impression of a strategy that is more cosmetic than participatory.”

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This disconnect is particularly critical given the pressing concerns of Cameroon’s youth. Unemployment, even among highly qualified graduates, remains a significant challenge, alongside widespread corruption and security issues. Yet, many of Biya’s recent social media posts, curated by his team, emphasize his 43-year track record, a period predating the birth of most of the current electorate.

Communication strategist Aristide Mabatto reveals that Biya’s team is now publishing excerpts from over 300 speeches delivered by the president over the decades, a strategy that seems out of touch with contemporary youth priorities.
While supporters and state media, like Cameroon Tribune, praise these efforts as a sign of vitality, online sentiment often leans towards skepticism and sarcasm.

Comments on Biya’s social media platforms reflect this cynicism: “It looks like he’s discovering the internet in 2025, but it’s primarily an electoral market test,” one user remarked, while another quipped, “Cameroonians want roads, not hashtags.”
“Personally, I’m not at all convinced,” states 32-year-old entrepreneur Che Arnold regarding the Biya camp’s strategy. He stresses the need for the communication to “go beyond tweets, Facebook messages and a simple online presence to promote political reforms but also solve real social problems.”

As the October election approaches, it remains to be seen whether President Biya’s digital pivot, however well-intentioned, will genuinely resonate with a generation yearning for tangible solutions over online rhetoric.