Imports of used clothing and accessories by Cameroon dropped by a huge margin of CFA13.6 billion—from CFA43.8 billion in 2015 to just CFA30.2 billion in 2023, according to the country’s National Institute of Statistics (INS).
- Imports have been dropping consistently over the least 16 years. According to government data, these imports amounted to CFA67 billion in 2008 and CFA97 billion in 2011.
THE IMPORTS: The Business in Cameroon website reported that in 2023, Cameroon imported 61,221 tonnes of used clothing and accessories, totalling CFA30.2 billion. Although the volume of these imports rebounded that year after a 13% decline in 2022 (59,431 tonnes compared to 68,818 tonnes in 2021), there has been a continuous reduction in the costs of importing these products for years.
- Despite the decrease in imports, used clothing still plays a significant role in the country's apparel sector, amid a slowdown in the local cotton-textiles-garment industry.
- Local producers now control only 5% of the Cameroonian fabric market, which is largely dominated by foreign products, a lot of which is illegally smuggled into the country.
- Cameroon wants to revamp the used clothing sector under its National Development Strategy 2020–30 (SND30). This new framework for Cameroon's development policy, aiming to structurally transform the economy, plans to increase national cotton production to 600,000 tonnes per year and locally process 50% of it by 2030.
- The government believes achieving this cotton transformation objective requires the development of a garment manufacturing and tailoring industry.
- The first objective is to supply the major segments (military, police, and civilians) with uniforms and clothing incorporating at least 60% Cameroonian cotton. The second is to produce sportswear (jerseys, tracksuits, sneakers, etc.) to meet at least 50% of the national demand.
OTHER SOURCES: According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), in 2022, Cameroon imported $94 million in used clothing, becoming the 18th largest importer of used clothing in the world.
- In the same year, used clothing was the 12th most imported product in Cameroon. Cameroon imports used clothing primarily from: Belgium ($27.9 million), China ($13.9 million), the Netherlands ($13.3 million), Germany ($11 million), and Poland ($7.85 million).
- In 2022, Cameroon exported $436,000 of used clothing. The main destinations of used clothing exports from Cameroon are: Central African Republic ($390,000), Benin ($15,100), Burkina Faso ($13,200), Kenya ($9,710), and South Korea ($3,300).
