National Day in Cameroon

A national legal holiday

Cameroon’s Law No. 73/5 of 7 December 1973 is listed in the Ministry of Public Service’s legal-text index as the law establishing the regime of legal holidays.[1]

The calendar for this page identifies National Day as a public holiday observed each year on 20 May, with no substitute days listed. The legal-text index alone does not establish which individual workplaces or services close, so opening arrangements should be confirmed locally.[1]

The 1972 referendum and national unity

The date recalls the referendum held on 20 May 1972. The Presidency’s account says voters approved a constitution establishing a unitary republic, ending the federal state formed from East Cameroon and West Cameroon. The referendum question linked the proposed change to national unity and the country’s economic, social and cultural development.[2]

The holiday’s meaning is tied to Cameroon’s political history and its official emphasis on unity. The Presidency’s account describes the move from a federation of two states to a unitary republic; the country’s name later changed to the Republic of Cameroon.[2]

Civil and military ceremonies

Official celebrations include civil and military parades. The Ministry of Youth and Civic Education documented a civil parade at Yaoundé’s Boulevard du 20 Mai and reported that preparations included rehearsals to coordinate group movements and patriotic songs.[3]

National Day is observed across Cameroon, though events vary by region.[3]

Planning around the holiday

The fixed date makes 20 May the useful point to plan around. The available official sources do not set out opening hours for banks, shops or transport, and the legal text’s full provisions could not be retrieved from the ministry index. Check with specific services and local authorities before making plans.[1]