Cameroon’s once-promising textile and garment sector is facing growing strain as imports of used clothing — known locally as friperie — continue to soar, providing affordable options for consumers but deepening challenges for local manufacturers.
According to new data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS), Cameroon imported 72,600 tons of second-hand clothes valued at 39.8 billion CFA francs ($64.8 million) in 2024. This marks an 18.6% increase in volume and a 31.8% rise in value compared to 2023, when the country imported 61,221 tons worth 30.2 billion CFA francs.
The surge underscores how used clothing has become entrenched in everyday consumption, reflecting rising inflation and declining household purchasing power. The trade has also become a major source of employment, supporting importers, wholesalers, and thousands of market vendors across the country.
Local Textile Industry Struggles to Compete
As second-hand imports flourish, Cameroon’s domestic textile and apparel industry continues to lose ground. Industry sources estimate that local manufacturers now account for less than 5% of the national fabric market, a sharp decline driven by the influx of low-cost imports and smuggled textiles.
This shift has led to factory closures, idle production capacity, and significant job losses, weakening a sector that once played a vital role in Cameroon’s industrial base and rural economy through cotton cultivation and fabric production.
Government’s Plan for Revival
In response, the government has prioritized the revival of the textile sector under its National Development Strategy 2020–2030 (SND30). The plan aims to boost cotton output to 600,000 tons per year and process at least half domestically by 2030, rebuilding an integrated and competitive textile value chain.
Two key initiatives form the backbone of this strategy:
- Uniform production for defense, security, and civil service institutions, using 60% locally grown cotton.
- Expansion of sportswear manufacturing to meet at least 50% of domestic demand.
Officials believe these measures could reduce import dependence, create industrial jobs, and stimulate local entrepreneurship in textile manufacturing.
Challenges to Sustainable Growth
However, experts warn that achieving these targets will require deep structural reforms — including modernization of farming and manufacturing systems, improved logistics, broader access to financing, and stronger enforcement against fraud and smuggling.
A coherent industrial policy is also essential to attract private investment in spinning, dyeing, finishing, and garment production. Without such reforms, analysts say, Cameroon’s used clothing imports will likely continue to expand, further eroding domestic industry and undermining long-term economic sustainability.
As the textile sector stands at a crossroads, Cameroon faces a defining question: whether to reclaim its manufacturing legacy — or remain dependent on a growing tide of imported second-hand garments.
