Cintia A. , Lebledparle.com
The Prime Minister on December 31, 2024, signed a new directive that has introduced a major reform in the administration of sports in Cameroon. According to this regulation, Ministry of Sports will now oversee the financial management of national competitions and Cameroon’s participation in international events.
Formalized in the 2025 Finance Law circular, this decision transfers the responsibility for managing funds from sports federations to the Ministry of Sports. Article 171 of the circular states: “For expenses related to organizing national sports competitions and Cameroon’s participation in international events, requests will be made by the presidents of sports federations. The related funds will be allocated to the Minister of Sports, who will oversee their management.”
This reform comes in a context marked by ongoing tensions between certain sports federations and the Ministry of Sports. Conflicts over financial accountability, decision-making authority, and resource allocation have frequently strained relations, particularly with FECAFOOT, which has often been at odds with the Ministry.
The new policy is expected to address some of these issues by streamlining resource management under a single authority. However, critics caution that centralizing financial control could also limit the autonomy of federations, potentially exacerbating existing tensions if not managed with transparency and collaboration.
As Cameroon embarks on this new phase of sports administration, the Ministry of Sports under professor Narcisse Mouelle Kombi faces the critical task of building trust with federations and ensuring that funds are allocated efficiently to support national and international competitions. The success of this reform will ultimately depend on the establishment of robust monitoring mechanisms and a spirit of partnership between all stakeholders.
