The Campaign is Intensified with CODAM: Empowering Cameroonian Youths in Digital Citizenship

The launching ceremony, presided over by Minister Minette Libom Li Likeng on June 11, 2025, at SUP’PTIC, was a testament of government's unwavering determination to promote patriotic digital citizenship.

The festival, placed under the theme “Let’s All be Committed to Patriotic Digital Citizenship,” seeks to train 50,000 youths nationwide on the challenges of cybersecurity, responsible digital behavior, and combating online threats.

In today’s digital age, technology has become an integral part of our daily lives, transforming the way we communicate, work, learn, and think. However, this reliance on technology also has a dark side, which, if not used with caution, can have devastating consequences not only for individuals but also for the entire nation. It is against this backdrop that CODAM Technologies under the patronage of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications is organizing a Digital Citizenship Festival from the 21-25 July 2025 to promote cybersecurity awareness and responsible digital behavior among Cameroonian youths.

Minister Minette Libom Li Likeng, in her opening speech, lauded the initiative of CODAM Technologies, highlighting its alignment with the government’s efforts to promote cybersecurity awareness. The objectives of the Digital Citizenship Festival are multifaceted, aiming to raise awareness amongst youths about the challenges of cybersecurity, promote responsible and civic use of digital platforms, combat online threats such as misinformation, scams, identity theft, and cyberbullying, and promote civic-minded and patriotic behavior in the digital space.

The Minister added that the program is part of the numerous strategies put in place by the government to raise awareness on the benefits, threats, challenges, and stakes of digital technology. It falls in line with the National Campaign to Promote the Culture of Cybersecurity and Raise Awareness on the Responsible Use of Social Media, launched in August 2020 by MINPOSTEL under the behest of the Head of State.

According to the Minister, the Digital Citizenship Festival is structured in two phases: the regional and national festivals. The regional festivals will take place both online and in-person, bringing together over 1,000 young people per region. Each event will feature the training of 150 peer educators and a major youth gathering to disseminate key awareness messages, create an interactive space for dialogue between youths and experts, and strengthen participants’ digital skills through hands-on workshops.

She explains that the national festival, scheduled to take place in Yaoundé from July 21 to 25, 2025, will bring together 5,000 young people, offering them an immersive and engaging experience centered on cybersecurity. One of the flagship activities will be the Digital Café, which will bring together close to 300 Cameroonian content creators and experts to dialogue on the risks associated with the internet, the ethical responsibilities of digital content creators, and practical solutions to strengthen cybersecurity.

As the festival approaches, experts are sounding the alarm on the dire need for sensitization and regulation of the sector. Professor Armand LEKA ESSOMBA, a sociologist at the University of Yaoundé I, highlighted the evolution of man's behavior from creation till date vis-à-vis ICTs, emphasizing the need for sensitization and regulation.

Mr. Cedric MESSAMBE, Secretary General of the Cameroon National Youth Council, revealed disturbing statistics that necessitate government intervention in the fight against cybercriminality. According to him, 10 million Cameroonians are now online, with the majority being young people between the ages of 15 and 35 in 2023 alone, ANTIC reported over 2,500 cases of cyber incidents. The national survey conducted with students and young entrepreneurs revealed that 6 out of every 10 youths had either been affected by or exposed to harmful digital content. More troubling is that less than 20 percent of the youth population can't reliably verify the information they consume or share online.

These statistics underscore the importance of initiatives like the Digital Citizenship Festival in promoting cybersecurity awareness and responsible digital behavior among Cameroonian youths. As the festival kicks off, it is expected to make a significant impact in empowering young people with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.