2026 National Village Exhibition: Innovation, Youth Empowerment, Civic Pride, Take Centre Stage

The grounds of Cameroon’s former Presidency in downtown Yaoundé transformed into a bustling, multi-cultural melting pot as the National Unity and Integration Village successfully wrapped up its exhibition on May 19, 2026. Running from Tuesday, May 13, 2026, the week-long event served as a major precursor to the 54th National Day celebrations on May 20, 2026. Echoing President Paul Biya’s declaration dedicating the current seven-year tenure to youth and women.

MINJEC Organization 
Organized as a permanent flagship initiative by the Ministry of Youth and Civic Education (MINJEC), the National Village defied expectations. While organizers initially planned for 1,000 daily visitors, crowd sizes drastically surged, peaking in the afternoons. A massive community carnival drawing residents from all seven districts of Yaoundé brought over 2,000 marchers to the site for structural exchanges and an ecumenical prayer for peace.

Over 500 Exhibitors 
According to Bognare Emmanuel, a member of the coordination team from MINJEC, the site hosted over 500 exhibitors across eight specialized "neighborhoods." These included the Ancestral Know-How, Gastronomy, Patriot Space, Institutions and Administrations, Police (DGSN), and Import-Substitution sections... Central to the exhibition’s message was the PRONEC-REAMORCE (Civic Education Programme through Moral, Civic, and Entrepreneurial Rearmament), an initiative aimed at moulding open, socio-economically integrated Cameroonian citizens.
"The Village was a complete melting pot showing what Cameroonians are capable of in terms of national integration, civic participation, and country unity," Bognare stated. Noting that participants traveled from as far as the East, Adamawa, North West, and Far North Regions to participate in the exhibition.

Technical Skills, High-Intensity Labour 
Among the administrative stands, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MINHDU) highlighted its direct efforts to tackle urban precarity. Mrs. Mamoudou, representing MINHDU’s Urban Social Development division, detailed the impact of the ministry's 13 Youth Integration Centers operating across the national territory.
Targeting "disadvantaged youth" who slipped through the cracks of the formal school system, these centers provide free technical vocational training to reduce juvenile delinquency and urban promiscuity. Crucially, the training is tailored to local regional economies. In the forested East Region (Bertoua), youth specialize in wood transformation. In the agricultural West Region, training focuses on farming and livestock. While Yaoundé centers offer computer science, upholstery, and sewing. Due to ongoing regional instabilities, centers for the North West and South West Regions remain in the planning and project stages.

MINHDU’s Inputs
MINHDU’s flagship exhibition focused on environmental sustainability and infrastructural development through the manufacturing of ecological pavers made from recycled plastic materials.
"We implement the policy of the President of the Republic through High-Intensity Labor (HIMO)," Mrs. Mamoudou explained. "Young people work directly with their hands to transform our urban roads, gaining financial independence while steering clear of social scourges."

“Made In Cameroon” Innovation
The exhibition also served as a launchpad for local innovations and grassroots entrepreneurship. In the technology sector, Henri Gamaleu, a robotics and coding facilitator based in Biyem-Assi, Yaoundé, captivated crowds with demonstrations of 3D printing. Working with 35 to 40 schools across Yaoundé, Kribi, and Limbe, Gamaleu's team utilizes programmable kits to teach children advanced robotics, 3D design, and how to build components for smart houses and automated security systems.

Local Processing
In the Import-Substitution section, young professionals urged citizens to embrace home-grown goods. Douglas-Agnès Francine, a 2022 zootechnics agricultural engineering graduate from FASA, Dschang, showcased her brand Apifran, selling pure honey harvested from Ngungumu village in Soa in Mefou and Afamba Division of Centre Region. To mark the unity festival, she slashed her standard price per liter from 5,000 FCFA to 3,000 FCFA to encourage local consumption.
Similarly, Mademoiselle Ndi Ebogo Gisèle Pierrette presented an innovative family agro-food business from Soa, specializing in cassava processing. The brand showcased unique organic products, including Le Bilam (a cassava-based whiskey) and Nnem Nyeb (a cassava cream liqueur), alongside cassava biscuits, bread, and yogurt.
Representing local craftsmanship, Pierre Mboue of the Yaoundé VI Council Association of Artisans (ACOMAYA 6), under the Ministry of Small and Medium-Size Enterprises (MINPMEESA), displayed custom footwear and regional traditional attire. Issuing a strong plea to the public and corporate entities for financial partnerships to scale local artisanal industries.

Fight Against GBV
Beyond economics and culture, the National Village provided a platform to address deep-seated societal crises. The newly established National Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Network, which unites 20 associations across all 10 regions, made its public debut.
In her remarks at the stand, the network's secretary, Engana-Boyce, revealed that the organization was launched in response to the alarming rate of domestic violence, decapitations, and femicide sweeping the country. The network plans to roll out extensive awareness campaigns across primary, secondary, and tertiary educational institutions.
"Many women suffer in silence in their homes and swallow the pain without speaking out," Engana-Boyce stated, calling on the state to reinforce protection for women's autonomy. "We want the Head of State to look closely at this struggle so that women can truly regain their freedom and safety."

Bridged Social Gaps
As the gates closed on the 2026 National Unity and Integration Village, the overarching feeling among organizers, exhibitors, and the thousands of daily visitors was clear. The event successfully bridged the gap between policy ...