Palm Oil and Fuels Propel Côte d'Ivoire to Top African Supplier Position for Cameroon

In 2023, Côte d'Ivoire emerged as Cameroon’s leading African supplier, according to the external trade report between Cameroon and African countries published on August 19, 2024, by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). The West African nation captured 15.9% of the Cameroonian market, supplying 84,369 tonnes of goods worth nearly 76 billion CFA francs.

The INS report highlights that Côte d'Ivoire’s top position in the Cameroonian market is primarily attributed to two main products: crude palm oil and fuels and lubricants. These two categories alone account for 65% of the total value of Ivorian exports to Cameroon in 2023.

Specifically, Côte d'Ivoire exported 39,327 tonnes of crude palm oil to Cameroon in 2023. This trade generated revenues of approximately 27.2 billion CFA francs, representing 36% of the total value of Ivorian exports to Cameroon, according to the INS report.

Additionally, the export of fuels and lubricants from Côte d'Ivoire reached 32,461 tonnes in 2023, valued at 22.1 billion CFA francs. These products account for 29% of the value of Ivorian exports to Cameroon, making them the second-largest export category after palm oil.

Growing Production Deficit

The demand for palm oil in Cameroon has been rising steadily due to the proliferation of processing units in the country, while local production remains stagnant, exacerbating the deficit. In 2022, the Cameroon Oil Palm Refiners Association (Asroc) estimated a structural annual deficit of 160,000 tonnes based on the operation of processing units at 50% capacity.

Industry members report that the actual deficit exceeds 500,000 tonnes annually, given the national demand for palm oil exceeds one million tonnes, while local production ranges between 400,000 and 500,000 tonnes. This situation forces Cameroon to import significant volumes, often at reduced customs rates (5%), to meet household and industrial demands.

Regarding fuels, Cameroonian imports have surged since the fire that devastated the facilities of the National Refining Company (Sonara) in May 2019. The shutdown of Cameroon’s sole oil refinery has necessitated the importation of all petroleum products consumed in the country for the past five years.

Source: Investir au Cameroun