Marcel Niat Njifenji

Marcel Niat Njifenji (26 October 1934 – 11 April 2026) was a Cameroonian politician who was President of the Senate of Cameroon from 2013 until 17 March 2026. A member of the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (RDPC), he had previously served for years as Director-General of the National Electricity Company, and he was also a minister in the government during the early 1990s.

Life and career Born on 26 October 1934 at Bangangté, located in Cameroon's West Region, Niat Njifenji worked as an engineer of roads and bridges. He was released from prison in 1989 and promptly restored to his post at SONEL in September 1989. In 2002, Niat Njifenji was elected as Mayor of Bangangté; he served as Mayor until September 2007, when he was succeeded by Célestine Ketcha Courtès.

Niat Njifenji died in Yaoundé on 11 April 2026, at the age of 91.

President of the Senate In 2013, after years of delay, the Senate was established to serve as the upper house of Cameroon's Parliament; previously only the National Assembly had existed. President Biya appointed Niat Njifenji to the Senate in May 2013. He was one of 30 senators to receive their seats by presidential appointment; the other 70 senators were indirectly elected. Biya appointed three senators for each region, and Niat Njifenji was one of the three to come from West Region. As President of the Senate, Niat Njifenji would, according to the constitution, succeed President Biya if the latter were to die in office;