(LVDE) – In the first quarter of 2025, Cameroon reached a historic milestone in exports, with revenues hitting CFAF 1,118 billion, a sharp increase of 35.3% compared to the previous year. This performance was driven mainly by strong international demand for cocoa, which outpaced oil revenues and signaled a new economic dynamic.
The first quarter of 2025 marked a turning point for Cameroon’s economy. The country’s exports totaled CFAF 1,118 billion, a record level not seen in years. This figure represents a 35.3% rise from CFAF 826 billion recorded in the same period of 2024, reflecting positive momentum in external trade. According to the National Institute of Statistics (INS), the surge was largely fueled by cocoa bean sales, which generated CFAF 500.3 billion—accounting for 44.8% of total revenues.
The performance of cocoa is especially significant as it overshadowed hydrocarbons, traditionally Cameroon’s leading export earners. Crude oil revenues dropped to CFAF 212 billion, representing only 19% of export earnings. Liquefied natural gas contributed CFAF 122 billion, or 10.9% of total revenues. This shift highlights changing market dynamics, with cocoa benefiting from attractive global prices, which have risen steadily since 2023.
This trend also led to a dramatic reduction in Cameroon’s trade deficit. The shortfall fell to CFAF 32.7 billion, an impressive 88% decline compared to the same period last year. This improvement stemmed from cautious management of import spending, which rose by 4.7% to CFAF 1,150 billion—a modest increase relative to the export gains.
Experts from INS note that this positive trade outcome is driven more by cyclical factors, particularly favorable global prices, than by a real breakthrough of local producers on the international market. The stable volume of exported goods suggests that revenue growth is mainly price-driven rather than due to a substantial increase in export quantities.
Despite government efforts to promote import-substitution policies, the results do not indicate a structural transformation of the sector. Analysts stress that Cameroon must diversify its exports and strengthen the competitiveness of its products globally. The country’s historic dependence on hydrocarbons remains a vulnerability, and while cocoa presents promising opportunities, it should not become the sole pillar of the national economy.
Thus, Cameroon’s first-quarter 2025 export performance, though encouraging, must be weighed against a critical assessment of underlying economic structures. The challenge ahead will be to capitalize on cocoa’s momentum while expanding into other sectors to ensure sustainable and resilient economic growth in the coming years.
Esther Grace
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