Geremi Njitap re-elected SYNAFOC president for third term

By Angu Lesley

Former Cameroon international Geremi Njitap has been re-elected president of the Syndicat National des Footballeurs du Cameroun (SYNAFOC), securing a third consecutive mandate.

Njitap was re-elected by acclamation during the union’s General Assembly in Douala on Wednesday, 2 September 2026, having stood as the sole candidate for the presidency. His re-election extends his leadership of the organisation as he begins another term at the head of Cameroon’s players’ union.

The former Real Madrid and Chelsea player has led SYNAFOC since first being elected in 2016, when he succeeded the late David Mayebi. He was subsequently returned to office and will now continue for a third mandate.

Njitap will be supported by a new-look executive that brings together several former Cameroon internationals and experienced figures from the country’s football community.

Former Indomitable Lion Eyong Enoh has been appointed first vice-president, with Eugène Ekeke serving as second vice-president and former Cameroon defender Aurélien Chedjou joining the leadership as third vice-president. Chedjou’s appointment gives another prominent former international a direct role in the administration of the players’ union.

Daniel Blaise Ngos retains the position of Secretary General, while Charles Léa Eyoum takes charge of the treasury.

The bureau is completed by Vincent Ongandzi, Brenda Alaka, Sylvain Mbiama and Assiene Pulchérie as advisers. Alexis Yougouda will represent professional clubs, while Wansi Michelle will represent players from the Guinness Super League.

The composition gives the new leadership a mixture of former professionals, administrators and representatives of both the men’s and women’s game, with the union expected to continue its work on issues affecting footballers in Cameroon.

Njitap’s new mandate comes at a particularly significant period for SYNAFOC. The union has remained involved in discussions over the working conditions and welfare of players, including recent disagreements with FECAFOOT over minimum salaries and registration fees for the 2026/27 season. SYNAFOC criticised the football federation for what it said was a lack of consultation before the new measures were announced.

The union has also faced a difficult relationship with FECAFOOT. In June 2025, FECAFOOT’s Ethics Committee imposed a five-year suspension on Njitap and a two-year suspension on SYNAFOC Secretary General Daniel Blaise Ngos. FIFPRO subsequently publicly expressed its support for Njitap and Ngos and reaffirmed its backing for SYNAFOC.

Despite those challenges, Njitap has now been entrusted with another term to lead the organisation.

The former Cameroon captain enjoyed an illustrious playing career, representing clubs including Real Madrid, Chelsea and Newcastle United and winning major honours in Europe. With the Indomitable Lions, he won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002 and Olympic gold in Sydney in 2000.

His third mandate at SYNAFOC will now provide an opportunity to strengthen the union’s representation of Cameroon’s footballers and address some of the key professional, financial and welfare issues affecting players across the country.

With a new executive team featuring familiar names from Cameroon’s football history, all eyes will be on Njitap and his colleagues as they begin their latest chapter at the helm of the players’ union.