The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education (MINJEC) and United Bank for Africa (UBA) Cameroon have renewed their partnership to expand financial services access for young people through the Biometric Youth Card. The agreement targets a market of more than nine million young Cameroonians nationwide.
The agreement, signed recently in Yaounde, extends a collaboration first launched in 2018 and is aligned with the National Youth Policy and the Special Youth Employment Promotion Plan. The initiative aims to strengthen financial inclusion, support entrepreneurship and integrate young people aged 15 to 35 into the formal financial system, including those in the diaspora.
Structured around three chapters and eighteen articles, the renewed partnership will run for an initial three-year period and focuses on scaling the production and distribution of the Biometric Youth Card as a tool for socio-economic integration. Official figures indicate that since its launch, the programme has facilitated the distribution of over 115,000 co-branded smart cards, issued 89,457 biometric cards and enabled the delivery of nearly 980,000 free services and products.
The card provides access to a range of financial and non-financial services, including co-branded VISA cards, preferential loan schemes, training programmes, internships and capacity-building initiatives. It also functions as an electronic wallet, enabling transactions such as tuition payments and online purchases without requiring physical bank visits. According to authorities, the expansion of these services is designed to improve financial access for young people, particularly those excluded from traditional banking systems, while supporting digital payments and financial literacy.
During the signing ceremony, officials from both institutions outlined the operational scope of the programme and its integration into national development frameworks. The Ministry indicated that the card is managed through the National Youth Observatory and has been incorporated into the State Budget as a source of non-tax revenue since 2024. UBA Cameroon representatives detailed the banking features of the card, including its role in facilitating access to credit, digital services and financial transactions.
The partnership also includes support for youth entrepreneurship through training sessions, conferences and networking platforms aimed at improving employability and business development outcomes. Demonstrations of the card’s functionality were conducted, while beneficiaries presented their experiences using the platform in entrepreneurial activities.
Minister Foutsou noted that the card has grown into an instrument of daily relevance for young people, particularly those enrolled in government programmes and projects who will gain access to quality, proximity-based financial services to support the execution of their initiatives.
Officials said the renewed partnership aims to improve service quality, broaden the network of partners and extend reach to young people currently excluded from conventional financial systems, a segment whose bankability carries direct implications for domestic consumption, entrepreneurship growth and broader economic formalisation.
The card is valid across the national territory and remains renewable until the holder reaches the age of 35.
Mercy Fosoh
