Benin, Africa's largest cotton producer, is implementing a strategy to keep more of its cotton's value within the country by processing it into finished products, such as garments, rather than exporting raw material.
Fatoumata Dosso, founder of DAF Collection, exemplifies this shift, focusing on producing fabrics with "Made in Benin" tags. This initiative aligns with government policy that encourages domestic value addition and the export of finished goods, ranging from pineapple juice to clothing.
Benin produced approximately 1.15 million bales of cotton between 2025 and 2026, representing a small fraction of global production but significant for its economy. Cotton has historically been Benin's top cash crop and primary export. The country is investing in its cotton sector despite declining production in other parts of Africa.
Industrial Zone Development
A pivotal element of this strategy is the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ), a public-private partnership established in 2020. The GDIZ processes around 40,000 tons of Beninese cotton annually, yielding between 7 and 10 million garments. This industrial hub, located near the commercial capital of Cotonou, is also involved in processing other export goods like cashew nuts and pineapples. The expansion of the GDIZ and the focus on finished product exports contributed to a reduction in Benin's current account deficit from 6.2% of GDP in 2024 to 5.7% in 2025, according to the African Development Bank.
Journalists touring the GDIZ observed a busy garment processing section where workers were engaged in various stages of apparel production, with brands like U.S. Polo Assn. and Kiabi represented. The industrial zone covers approximately 16 square kilometers (6 square miles).
Supporting Cotton Producers
The domestic garment industry's success relies on a robust network of cotton producers. Souhaïbou Gambari, executive secretary of a national cotton producers' association, highlighted that the sector supports more than 2 million people in rural areas through direct and indirect employment. The federation includes at least 183,746 producers organized into 2,206 village cooperatives.
Smallholder farmers like Toussaint Bapetem find cotton cultivation profitable. Although the price per kilogram has remained stable, the guaranteed market and relative security from theft compared to other crops make it an attractive option. Bapetem noted that his earnings from cotton have helped support his family and fund his children's education. He is aware that some of his harvested cotton is used to produce garments locally.
Promoting Local Fashion
Entrepreneurs like Fatoumata Dosso are driving the demand for locally produced garments. Her DAF Collection employs about a dozen women as weavers, creating fabrics, particularly the traditional pagne, popular among local communities. Dosso left her previous job to focus on promoting this craft and advocating for the "Made in Benin" label. She aims to establish showrooms in major Beninese cities and has been a vocal proponent of local production.
One of Dosso's weavers, Chabi Baké, earns approximately $545 a month, which has enabled her to start building a house. She expressed satisfaction with the initiative, recognizing its benefit to local workers and the economy through the sale of domestic products.