Cameroon's timber exports experienced a mixed year in 2025, marked by the dominance of sawn timber but also by an unexpected resilience of logs despite government restrictions. According to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS), the country exported 762,007 tons of sawn timber and logs, generating 157.6 billion FCFA in revenue. These figures, although dominated by sawn timber, represent a decline compared to the performance of the 2021-2024 period.
Between 2021 and 2024, sawn timber exports ranged between 895,572 tons and 1.5 million tons, with revenues ranging from 170 to 212 billion FCFA. The INS has not identified a single cause for this decline, but a decrease in demand in Asia and Europe, the main markets for Cameroonian timber, is a plausible explanation. This decrease in demand also affects log exports, which fell to 349,611 tons in 2025, a decrease of more than 100,000 tons compared to the previous year.
Despite government efforts to discourage log exports, they are showing some resilience. Cameroon, like other CEMAC countries, plans to ban log exports by 2028 and has implemented tax measures to encourage local timber processing. These measures include a progressive increase in export duties on logs, reaching 75% of the FOB value of the exported species in 2024, an overall increase of approximately 350% since 2017. At the same time, taxes on sawn timber have increased more moderately, and tax exemptions have been introduced for timber processing equipment.
The impact of these policies is visible but mixed. Log exports have decreased significantly, from 958,300 tons in 2021 to 349,611 tons in 2025. Sawn timber from primary processing has also experienced a decrease, while sales of veneers, products with higher added value, have only slightly increased. The Cameroonian forestry sector, facing structural challenges and increased tax pressure, is looking for solutions to diversify its markets and increase local processing.
In November 2025, Cameroon's tropical timber exports to the European Union increased by 4%, with Belgium remaining the main destination.
