The Cameroonian economic crisis, a severe downturn from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s, brought rising prices, trade deficits, and a loss of government revenue. While President Paul Biya's administration blamed a steep fall in export commodity prices, critics and many Cameroonians pointed to poor government management and widespread corruption. In 1987, Cameroon initially resisted strict International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions, implementing its own austerity measures such as privatizing state enterprises and cutting civil servant benefits, leading to an 18% reduction in the 1987–1988 budget.

However, these domestic measures failed to curb rising crime or corruption. Consequently, by October 1988, Cameroon agreed to a $150 million IMF aid package and a World Bank structural adjustment program, alongside additional international loans. The country has since focused on international debt repayment and restricting public salaries, though a strong consensus among Cameroonians attributes the persistent economic hardship to extensive public fund theft by the Biya administration.