Cameroon imports jump 22.8% in first quarter despite curbs
Goods imports rose 25.8% while exports grew only 3.8%, pushing the trade deficit to 5.7% of GDP, the National Institute of Statistics said.
Cameroon's imports of goods and services rose 22.8% by volume in the first quarter of 2026 compared with a year earlier, even though the government has been trying to reduce dependence on foreign products. Goods imports climbed 25.8%, according to quarterly national accounts published on November 5, 2026 by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
Exports grew just 3.8% over the same period, widening the external trade gap. The INS put the deficit in goods and services at 5.7% of GDP for the quarter. Compared with the last three months of 2025, imports rose 10.2% while exports rose 0.6%.
Among merchandise imports, purchases of machinery and furniture rose sharply, while some manufactured and food products fell. The institute said demand for nearly all imported goods increased significantly. The surge came alongside a 12.3% year-on-year rise in private investment, but the data do not show how much of the foreign purchasing was equipment for investment.
Why it mattersImporters and investors face a wider external gap, with the deficit now at 5.7% of GDP and exports lagging far behind purchases abroad.