Cameroon Posts 3.5% Growth in 2025 as Trade Deficit Hits CFAF2.1trn

Cameroon’s economy expanded by 3.5% in 2025, supported by a 3.8% rise in non-oil activity, while the country’s trade deficit reached CFAF2.098 trillion as imports continued to outstrip exports, according to the latest government economic report. The apport Annuel sur la Situation Économique du Cameroun (Édition 2025) was presented by Economy, Planning and Regional Development Minister Alamine Ousmane Mey in Yaoundé on August 25.

The nearly 200-page document examines the country’s macroeconomic position, competitiveness, investment, public policy implementation and exposure to external shocks. The Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, MINEPAT, said real gross domestic product growth stood at 3.5% in 2025, while non-oil activities grew by 3.8%. The ministry said growth remained resilient in a difficult international environment.

According to the report, non-oil activity, particularly services, was the main driver of economic expansion during the year. The services sector grew by 4.3%. The document also shows that inflation eased to 3.4% in 2025 from 4.5% in 2024, reducing the pace of the general increase in consumer prices. Food prices, however, rose by 6.8%, placing the increase in the cost of food above the national inflation rate.

Imports Widen Trade Deficit

The report further reveals that Cameroon imported goods worth CFAF5.240 trillion in 2025, compared with exports valued at CFAF3.142 trillion. This left the country with a trade deficit of CFAF2.098 trillion. According to MINEPAT, the widening deficit reflected, among other factors, lower hydrocarbon exports and higher imports.

The report was presented against a backdrop of geopolitical and economic tensions and their effects on prices, trade flows and economic activity. It identifies the risks and vulnerabilities that continue to expose the national economy to external shocks. MINEPAT said the document is intended to support economic decision-making and provide a reference framework for dialogue among public authorities, businesses and development partners. Its findings are also expected to guide structural reforms, productive transformation and implementation of the National Development Strategy 2020–2030.

According to Minister Ousmane Mey, the government must move from resilience to faster economic expansion by reducing dependence on imports, increasing domestic output and adding value to locally produced raw materials.

The minister also called for a shift from projects listed in the state budget to infrastructure that is completed and operational. He said public spending should be linked to measurable results, while production should be targeted toward identified needs.

According to MINEPAT, the report’s value will depend on converting its findings into decisions, its recommendations into reforms and its economic assessments into concrete results. The stated priorities include creating more jobs, raising household incomes, strengthening productive capacity and reducing the economy’s vulnerability to external shocks.

Mercy Fosoh