Franck Biya

Franck Emmanuel Olivier Biya, born on August 21, 1971, in Yaoundé, is a Cameroonian businessman and entrepreneur. He is the eldest son of President Paul Biya.

Childhood and Education: Franck Biya grew up in a privileged environment, surrounded by the influence and prestige of his father. He studied in Cameroon before pursuing higher education at the University of Southern California (USC), where he obtained a degree in political science and economics.

Following his graduation, Biya interned at the Bank of Central African States from 1995 to 1997. From 1997 to 2004, he was a partner in a forestry conglomerate named I.N.G.F., which was later liquidated.

In 2004, he founded Venture Capital PLC, a private fund focused on investing in foreign corporations in Africa and other continents. Despite avoiding direct public contracts, his business dealings are believed to benefit from his influential position as the son of the President. In 2022, he was involved in negotiations for the expansion of Afriland First Bank, a Cameroonian bank, into Chad.

Career: Franck Biya began his business career in 1997 by becoming a partner in the logging company I.N.G.F. He also founded the investment company Venture Capital plc in 2004. He is currently at the helm of several large-scale companies and projects, particularly in the real estate, hospitality, and energy sectors.

Personal life and Net Worth: Franck Biya is married and has four children. He is known for his love of sports, particularly cycling, jogging, and walking. He also enjoys traveling and spending relaxing moments with his family. With his extensive investment portfolio, Frank Biya has an estimated fortune of $50 million that’s around 28 billion francs CFA.

He maintains a discreet public profile, rarely giving interviews, but is considered influential within his father’s inner circle.

Political Role: Although he holds no official political position, he is widely speculated as a potential successor to his aging father, who has been in power since 1982 and is considered influential behind the scenes.

In 2021, a movement called “Friends of Franck Biya” or the “Frankist” (referring to people who are supporting him) was formed to advocate for his potential 2025 presidential candidacy, though critics note that Cameroon is not a monarchy.

While he has previously avoided official roles within the ruling party (RDPC), he has participated in party events, including a meeting in France in 2023 to support the party’s “natural candidate” for the 2025 election.