More than half a million people are expected to attend a Mass led by Pope Leo XIV in Cameroon on Friday, as he marks the midpoint of his four-nation tour of Africa.

The pontiff travelled to Douala, the country’s main port city, to lead the large-scale liturgy and visit a hospital, with the Vatican estimating a crowd of around 600,000 — the biggest turnout anticipated during his 11-day visit, the first to Africa by an American pope.

Later in the day, he is scheduled to return to Yaounde to meet students, faculty and staff at the Catholic University of Central Africa, continuing his focus on engaging young people.

Catholics make up about 29 percent of Cameroon’s population of roughly 29 million, in a country where the median age is just 18.

During his visit, Pope Leo has emphasised the importance of youth, urging greater investment in education, training and employment opportunities to address poverty, corruption and social exclusion.

In earlier remarks to Cameroon’s longtime leader Paul Biya, he called for breaking what he described as the “chains of corruption” and highlighted young people as the nation’s hope.

Cameroon, led by Biya since 1982, reflects broader tensions across Africa between a youthful population and aging leadership, with many young people expressing frustration over limited economic opportunities.

Despite modest economic growth, many youths remain in informal employment, and the country has experienced a significant outflow of skilled professionals, particularly in the health sector.

Pope Leo warned that unemployment and exclusion could fuel instability, stressing that empowering young people is essential for long-term peace and development.