Benin bets on turning its cotton crop into clothes at home

PARAKOU, Benin — The "Made in Benin" labels on Fatoumata Dosso's fabrics symbolize a much larger ambition than her fashion business: preserving more value from Africa's leading cotton producer. Dosso's company aims to capitalize on the abundant raw material available in Benin and create jobs for women in her community. She emphasizes promoting traditional Benin fabric and creating unique garments.

Benin is Africa's top cotton producer, with 1.15 million bales of cotton exported between 2025 and 2026, accounting for 0.9% of global production. Despite global production being dominated by China, cotton remains the primary cash crop for Benin, traditionally exported to Bangladesh. However, the country has shifted towards value addition in recent years, with a public-private partnership establishing the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) in 2020.

This facility processes about 40,000 tons of cotton annually to produce 7 to 10 million garments. The expansion of GDIZ has helped reduce Benin's current account deficit from 6.2% of GDP in 2024 to 5.7% in 2025, according to the African Development Bank.

The GDIZ industrial hub, located 45 kilometers from Cotonou, features a garment section where garment makers like U.S. Polo Assn. and Kiabi operate. Local farmer Toussaint Bapetem plants three acres of cotton alongside corn, relying on a guaranteed market for his cotton despite unchanged prices. The cotton sector provides livelihoods for over 2 million people in rural areas, making it the leading driver of social inclusion in Benin's farming communities.