When Cameroonians head to the polls on 12 October 2025, only one woman will appear amongst the presidential ballots. Hermine Patricia Tomaïno Ndam Njoya, lawyer, legislator, mayor, entrepreneur, and author, stands as the sole female contender in a race dominated by twelve men.
Hon Hermine Patricia Tomaïno Ndam Njoya
Her candidacy is bigger than political ambition. It is a statement on the fight for gender parity in Cameroon’s leadership.
Born in Yaoundé in 1969 and raised between the capital and the royal city of Foumban in the West Region, Hermine Patricia studied law at the University of Yaoundé, earning a master’s degree in Public Law before training abroad in urban development in Israel.
She entered politics in 1991 during the wave for multipartism, joining the Union Démocratique du Cameroun (UDC) from its inception. Elected Member of Parliament in 2007, she served for thirteen years, rising to become spokesperson for UDC MPs and a strong voice on constitutional reform and human rights.
In 2020, despite winning both municipal and parliamentary seats, she chose to serve locally as Mayor of Foumban and spokesperson for the West Region’s Regional Council, while leading calls for an overhaul of the Electoral Code.
Beyond politics, she is a force in the coffee industry, heading a family enterprise and championing women farmers as President of the Association of Cameroonian Women in Coffee. She also leads the Gender Promotion Committee of the Agency for Robusta Coffee in Africa and Madagascar.
Widow of the UDC’s founder, Adamou Ndam Njoya, she succeeded him as party president in 2021, promising to uphold the party’s democratic values while pushing for renewal.
An author of several books, including Les Élections bancales and Les Coquelicots de l’Espoir, she blends political insight with a storyteller’s touch.
As the only woman in this year’s presidential race, Hermine Patricia carries the weight of history and the hopes of many women who see in her candidacy a breakthrough for representation.
Whether she wins or not, she has already carved her name into Cameroon’s political story as a leader, a reformer, and a reminder that the fight for equality is far from over.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Newsroom
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