C ameroon’s tex tile sector is at a turning point. Once dominated by the state-owned CICAM, the sector now controls only about 5% of the local fabric market, according to industry data. Cheap imports from China, which hold 80% of the market, and second-hand clothing, locally called ‘friperie’, have put local factories under pressure. In 2024, Cameroon im ported 72,600 tonnes of second-hand clothes worth FCFA 39.8 billion, up from 61,221 tonnes in 2023. The rise shows strong local demand for affordable clothing, but it has also led to factory closures and job losses. To reverse this trend, the government, under its National Development Strategy 2020-2030, aims to boost cotton production to 600,000 tonnes per year and pro cess 50% locally by 2030. Currently, Cameroon is the 5th largest cotton producer in Africa, but it processes only 2% of its cotton locally. In this challenging environ ment, private companies like MC Sarl are making a difference, focusing on what the market needs now. The...
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