Cameroon university strike continues over academic debt

The National Union of Higher Education Teachers (SYNES) has maintained an indefinite strike across Cameroon's eight state universities, which began on September 3, 2026. The strike has suspended all teaching and research activities, leading to what the union describes as a ‘dead academic year.’

SYNES refused to attend an emergency crisis meeting convened by the Minister of State for Higher Education, Jacques Fame Ndongo, on September 11. The union cited unrealistic deadlines and a lack of genuine dialogue as reasons for their absence.

A central issue in the dispute is the accumulated academic debt, estimated at approximately 15.5 billion CFA francs between 2000 and 2021. While the government reports that roughly 41% (6.35 billion CFA francs) has been paid, with priority given to universities in Bamenda, Buea, and Maroua to ease regional tensions, the union demands full payment. Additionally, the Ministry of Finance has initiated a general census of floating state debt for the 2020-2025 period to include all 11 state universities, suggesting the actual debt may exceed previous estimates.