Maëllys Ngo Mboui wins Miss Cameroon and puts science in the spotlight

Maëllys Ngo Mboui has not only won a crown. Crowned Miss Cameroon 2026 on Saturday, September 19, at the Palais des Congrès in Yaoundé, the representative of the France diaspora arrives with a profile where beauty, scientific studies, and commitment to young girls intersect in an unusual way.

A student pursuing a dual degree in economics-management and mathematics-computer science, the new Miss has already placed science at the center of her public journey. She notably leads Cameroonian Girls in STEAM, an initiative aimed at increasing access for young Cameroonian girls to science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

The project took concrete form several months before the national election. In February, masterclasses focused on artificial intelligence, leadership, and entrepreneurship were organized in Yaoundé, followed by a mini-hackathon in Bamenda where students worked on digital prototypes addressing community needs.

This positioning resonates particularly in the 2026 edition of the competition. The Miss Cameroon organizing committee chose the fight against cybercrime as the central theme, aiming to encourage candidates to also discuss digital responsibility, online protection, and the exposure of young women to the pitfalls of social media.

Before Yaoundé, Maëllys Ngo Mboui had already won Miss Cameroon Diaspora France in March. This journey, built over several months of preparation, included workshops, solidarity actions, self-esteem work, and support for the candidates. Her transition from the diaspora to the national crown thus gives greater visibility to a project that began well before the final.

She succeeds Audrey Black Moutongo as the national titleholder. Just minutes after her crowning, Médiatude reports that she stated her intention to use this “platform” to help young people.