He is married with four children. The Hayatou family are traditional holders of the sultanate ("Lamidat", from the Sokoto Caliphate's traditional Fula title "Lamine") of Garoua. Hayatou was son of the reigning sultan, and many relatives have acceded to powerful positions in Cameroonian society. Most notable is Issa's brother Sadou Hayatou, a former Prime Minister of Cameroon and longtime high official under Cameroon president Paul Biya, who was among those tapped to succeed him. The Hayatou family continue to wield much political influence in northern Cameroon.