President Paul Biya, putting end to reckless spending.
By Lawrence Kenfoy
A presidential order signed on July 18, 2025, by the President of the Republic Paul Biya marks a decisive turning point in the management of public finances.
Article 86 of the ordinance of July 18, 2025, effectively establishes the transformation of common budget chapters (60, 65, 92, 93, 94, and 95) into strictly capped allocations for “incidental and unforeseeable expenditures,” limited to 10% of non-debt servicing expenditures.
This measure puts an end to wasteful expenditures by all public managers using lines 65 (“Unforeseen Expenditures”) and 94 (“Exceptional Expenditures”), a process that has long undergone public criticism.
Previously perceived as opaque cash registers, these budgetary lines have often fueled wasteful and non-transparent practices, triggering bad budgetary governance.
Now the government clearly wants to put an end to wasteful public spending with a focus on efficiency and accountability.
International Standards
This decision also reflects a desire to align the management of state finances with international standards of budgetary orthodoxy and discipline. While allowing the state to retain a small margin to deal with genuine unforeseen events, the reform therefore serves as a warning against the temptation of unaccountable spending and marks a step towards more rigorous and predictable management of public resources.
Experts say by taking this decision, the President of the Republic intends to contribute to a better allocation of available resources, in a context where budgetary discipline remains essential to achieving the growth and sustainable development ambitions set for the coming years.
Thus, the end of the uncontrolled largesse of chapters 65 and 94 opens the way to a new era of rigor, foresight and responsibility.
