Pray for Cameroon

About Cameroon

The capital is Yaoundé. People speak French and English, with Cameroonian Pidgin and about 250 local languages. The largest faith is Christianity.

Source: Wikipedia, with the cited sources it lists.

Prayer briefing for Cameroon

Last updated October 2026. Facts come from the sources listed below.

Current events

In September armed separatists enforced a weeklong lockdown in the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions to disrupt the start of the school year, and residents of Bamenda reported closed schools and shops and gunshots. Bus passengers were kidnapped on roads to Bamenda in June and July. In the Far North, reports say cholera has reached the Minawao refugee camp, and insecurity and poverty threaten the school year.

We pray for: Immediate relief, safety and urgent help.

Leadership and politics

Cameroon is a presidential republic. President Paul Biya, who is 93 and has led the nation since 1982, began an eighth term after the October 2025 election, and the Prime Minister is Joseph Dion Ngute. In April 2026 parliament restored the post of vice president to provide for succession, but reports in May said no one had yet been appointed. Legislative elections have been postponed to 20 December 2026.

We pray for: Wisdom, integrity and justice for those in authority.

Economic health

The government expects growth of about 3.5% in 2026. Inflation eased to about 2.6% in June 2026, and Cameroon is in talks with the IMF on a new programme. Prices still weigh on families, with reports of rising rents in Buea and costly food in the Far North. In 2014 about one in four people lived below the international poverty line.

We pray for: Provision for families and honest stewardship.

Social and cultural issues

Cameroon is home to many peoples and some 250 languages, with French and English both official. English speakers are about one in five Cameroonians. Since 2017 the conflict in the Northwest and Southwest has killed over 7,000 people and displaced about a million, according to the International Crisis Group, and reports accuse both armed separatist groups and security forces of serious abuses. Refugees, displaced families, children at risk of trafficking and women facing violence are among the most vulnerable.

We pray for: Reconciliation, peace and protection of the vulnerable.

Spiritual landscape

About two in three Cameroonians are Christian (about 33% Catholic and 27% Protestant) and about three in ten are Muslim, with a small number following traditional faiths, according to 2022 figures. Pope Leo XIV visited Cameroon for three days in April 2026.

We pray for: Spiritual awakening, hope and the spread of truth.

Religious freedom

The constitution describes a secular state and provides for freedom of religion. The US State Department reports that religious groups need presidential approval to register, and many applications have waited for years. In the Far North, Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa have attacked Muslims, Christians and traditionalists alike. In the Northwest and Southwest, lockdowns and fighting have disrupted Sunday worship, and clergy have been kidnapped. Open Doors names Islamist violence as the main pressure on Christians.

We pray for: Protection for believers and freedom to worship safely.

Historical wounds

Cameroon became a German colony in 1884 and was divided between France and Britain after World War I. French Cameroun became independent in 1960, and Southern British Cameroons joined it in 1961. A long armed struggle from 1955 to 1971 cost many lives. Boko Haram violence in the Far North and the crisis in the English-speaking regions since 2016 have left deep wounds, including the 2020 Ngarbuh killings of 21 civilians, for which three soldiers were convicted in February 2026.

We pray for: National healing, breaking old cycles and deep forgiveness.

Let us pray together

Our Father, we come to You together for Cameroon. Bring safety to families in the Northwest, Southwest and Far North, open the schools, and free all who are held captive. Give wisdom, integrity and justice to the President, the Prime Minister and all who will lead the nation in the years ahead. Provide work and daily bread for every household, and grant honest stewardship of the nation's resources. Bring peace between English and French speakers, comfort the displaced and refugees, and protect women and children. Let the hope and truth of Your love be known in every region and language. Keep believers and clergy safe, and give every community freedom to worship without fear. Heal the wounds of colonial rule, war and recent violence, and lead Cameroon in forgiveness and peace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Sources

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