Cameroon has taken a significant step toward modernizing local governance by integrating digital tools and structured public engagement into municipal management.
On Tuesday, October 13, 2026, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Decentralization and Local Development – MINDDEVEL, Fred Ebongue Makolle, representing the Minister, chaired the national workshop for the presentation and handover of the Citizen Participation Guide and the “Mboa City” smart city application.
Held under the inclusive and resilient Cities Development Project – PUC, the national gathering brought together partner administrations, local authority associations, mayors, and civil society representatives.
The workshop focused on two pivotal pillars of local development: strengthening citizen involvement in municipal decision-making and accelerating the digital transformation of local services.
Anchored in Cameroon’s existing legal framework, the newly unveiled Citizen Participation Guide provides practical mechanisms designed to streamline community consultations, clarify stakeholder responsibilities, and ensure local decisions reflect public needs.
By establishing clear guidelines, the initiative aims to foster greater transparency and trust between municipal authorities and the populations they serve.
In parallel, participants reviewed the capabilities of Mboa City, a dedicated municipal application designed to modernize communication between residents and local councils. The platform enables citizens to report local infrastructure issues directly, engage in transparent dialogues with municipal officials, and access essential council services more efficiently.
During the presentation, stakeholders also addressed crucial implementation challenges, including internet connectivity constraints across local territories and the imperative for robust personal data protection standards.
The workshop concluded with a formal transfer of responsibilities to ensure the long-term sustainability of the PUC project’s outcomes. The Citizen Participation Guide was officially handed over to MINDDEVEL to lead its institutional rollout across local governments, while operational management of the Mboa City application was entrusted to the Special Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance (FEICOM). This dual handover marks a concrete transition from project development to nationwide implementation within Cameroon’s local administrative structures.
Ultimately, these combined initiatives reflect a clear strategic vision to build more inclusive, responsive, and resilient urban communities across the nation. By equipping local councils with modern digital tools and actionable civic participation frameworks, Cameroon continues to strengthen its decentralization process. Moving forward, the adoption of Mboa City and the citizen guide is expected to promote participatory governance, enhance public service delivery, and drive sustainable local development.
