The latest Afrobarometer survey reveals a troubling reality in Cameroon: 57% of citizens admit to paying bribes to avoid trouble with law enforcement. Nearly half have bribed officials for identification documents, while 37% did so to access healthcare.

In a recent interview, acclaimed Cameroonian bassist Richard Bona, now living in exile, expressed his dismay over the country’s corruption crisis, with a particular focus on the younger generation.

“The youth in Cameroon are corrupted. They’ve been raised that way. Their mindset is to wait for scraps from above. With few exceptions, they’re a corrupted generation. I don’t even think Cameroon will recover from this.”

His comments have ignited fierce reactions online. One social media user wrote, “Young people know the police aren’t there for their safety—they’re there to collect 500 francs.” In Yaoundé’s streets, opinions are divided. Some acknowledge the problem while others argue that not all youth are complicit.

“Yes, there are corrupted young people. But the majority are victims of corruption.”

“It’s unfair to judge an entire generation by its worst elements. Some youth are fighting the system with dignity and inspiring others.”

Cameroon’s struggle against systemic corruption

Cameroon ranks 142nd out of 182 countries in Transparency International’s latest corruption perception index. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (Conac) reported in 2024 that billions of CFA francs continue to be embezzled from state coffers by individuals in power.

A civil servant anonymously shared, “Many young people don’t even recognize corruption as wrong anymore. They’ve grown accustomed to it.”

Yet not everyone agrees that the entire youth population is to blame. Some argue that Cameroonian youth are driving positive change.

“The most important thing is that there’s a part of this youth that is resilient, determined, and doing things the right way. They’re the ones who make Cameroon move forward.”

“If all young people were corrupted, this country would be paralyzed.”

The youth: victims or accomplices?

Maître Akere Muna, founder of Transparency International Cameroon, offers a nuanced perspective. He describes the youth as both victims and “tacit accomplices” of corruption, trapped in a system that rewards unethical behavior.

“Corruption in Cameroon is systemic. Young people don’t control the system—they’re forced to adapt to survive. Their future is at stake, and they need to speak out.”

“For forty years, Cameroon’s culture has rewarded connections over competence. Young people learn quickly: to get ahead, you need nepotism, tribalism, and shortcuts.”

Muna advocates for educational reforms that emphasize hard work and integrity, stressing that “laziness leads nowhere.”

Conac has called on public and private sector workers, as well as citizens, to report corruption. The agency operates a hotline at 1517 for reporting such acts.