The Academy was founded in 1990 with the goal of promoting the progress of science and technology for the economic, social and cultural development of Cameroon. Specific objectives include promoting research and technological training at the highest level, advising the national government and other national/international policy makers on issues related to science and technology.

Membership, currently 61, is non-discriminatory on the basis of ethnic group or gender and are distributed among the colleges of biological sciences, social sciences and mathematical and physical sciences. Main activities include organizing conferences, seminars, workshops and lectures on issues of scientific interest, awarding prizes to young scholars and researchers, publishing the Academy Journal, contracted research projects with partners, and the awarding of scholarship grants to encourage and motivate students in the sciences.