Benin Builds Zone to Turn Raw Cotton Into Finished Garments

Benin is seeking to keep more of the value from its cotton industry at home by shifting from raw-cotton exports to textile manufacturing and finished-garment production. The strategy is reflected in Fatoumata Dosso’s DAF Collection, a Parakou-based fashion business promoting traditional fabrics from northern Benin while creating opportunities for local women and weavers. A public-private partnership with Arise IIP established the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone, which processes about 40,000 tons of cotton annually and produces an estimated 7 million to 10 million garments, alongside other export goods such as cashews, pineapples and ceramics. Benin produced about 1.15 million cotton bales in the 2025–26 season, making it Africa’s leading cotton producer and supporting livelihoods for millions of people, although it represents less than 1% of global output. The government says expanding domestic processing and exporting finished products can strengthen the economy and reduce reliance on shipping raw cotton abroad, particularly to Bangladesh.