Burkina Faso, one of the cotton producers in Africa, is taking a decisive step forward in the development of its « white gold ». After decades during which almost all fiber was exported in its raw state, the country is resolutely committed to local processing, with large-scale industrial projects designed to capture added value and create jobs on the national territory.
Burkina Faso and Russia have signed a memorandum for the creation of the AKOTON complex, an integrated cotton processing ecosystem designed to control the entire value chain, from the reception of raw fiber to the manufacture of finished products. This project is in addition to the Surgou spinning factory, for which President Ibrahim Traoré laid the foundation stone in March 2024. Scheduled to be commissioned in 2026, these 165 billion FCFA units are expected to generate between 4,000 and 5,000 direct jobs.
FILSAH, a spinning mill based in Bobo-Dioulasso, is already illustrating the benefits of this strategy. With a production capacity increased to 10,000 tons per year, it directly employs more than 500 people and indirectly supports more than 100,000 players through dyeing, weaving and sewing. The company generates nearly 600 million CFA francs in annual tax revenue.
« It is a question of presenting a national ambition, » said the director general of FILSAH, insisting on the need to process cotton locally to create more added value. The government has supported this dynamic with strong measures, including a ban on the import of woven yarns and loincloths, to stimulate local production.
The Minister of Industry welcomed this orientation, based on the triptych « produce locally, process locally and consume locally », which he considers to be an essential lever for building a resilient and sovereign economy. This strategic shift breaks with the paradox of the producer who exports his raw material to re-import finished products at a high price. It marks a decisive step in Burkina Faso’s quest for economic independence and sustainable development.
TheHatLady
