Imports of goods and services in Cameroon
Cameroon: Imports of goods and services was 20.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Imports of goods and services in Cameroon, 1965–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Cameroon recorded 20.3% for imports of goods and services in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.4% on the previous year and down 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in Cameroon peaked at 31.6% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 9.8%, in 1993.
That places Cameroon 176th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 61 years of available data.
Imports of goods and services in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 24.3% | — |
| 1966 | 23.6% | -2.8% |
| 1967 | 22.6% | -4.2% |
| 1968 | 24.6% | +9.1% |
| 1969 | 22.9% | -7.2% |
| 1970 | 24.7% | +7.9% |
| 1971 | 27.2% | +10.1% |
| 1972 | 26.1% | -3.9% |
| 1973 | 24.0% | -8.0% |
| 1974 | 22.8% | -5.0% |
| 1975 | 25.5% | +12.0% |
| 1976 | 27.4% | +7.1% |
| 1977 | 27.8% | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 28.1% | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 28.2% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 27.1% | -3.9% |
| 1981 | 28.4% | +4.7% |
| 1982 | 28.9% | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 29.3% | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 31.0% | +5.8% |
| 1985 | 31.6% | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 22.7% | -28.0% |
| 1987 | 20.6% | -9.2% |
| 1988 | 16.0% | -22.6% |
| 1989 | 17.8% | +11.3% |
| 1990 | 17.3% | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 14.6% | -15.4% |
| 1992 | 18.3% | +25.1% |
| 1993 | 9.8% | -46.7% |
| 1994 | 15.5% | +58.5% |
| 1995 | 15.1% | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 20.9% | +38.4% |
| 1997 | 21.8% | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 20.3% | -6.9% |
| 1999 | 17.8% | -12.3% |
| 2000 | 23.1% | +29.5% |
| 2001 | 26.3% | +14.0% |
| 2002 | 25.5% | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 20.8% | -18.4% |
| 2004 | 21.3% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 22.8% | +6.9% |
| 2006 | 22.9% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 26.2% | +14.4% |
| 2008 | 29.9% | +14.0% |
| 2009 | 22.6% | -24.5% |
| 2010 | 24.9% | +10.1% |
| 2011 | 27.3% | +9.7% |
| 2012 | 26.2% | -4.2% |
| 2013 | 26.0% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 27.2% | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 24.6% | -9.8% |
| 2016 | 21.7% | -11.7% |
| 2017 | 20.8% | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 21.9% | +4.8% |
| 2019 | 23.5% | +7.7% |
| 2020 | 18.5% | -21.4% |
| 2021 | 20.2% | +9.3% |
| 2022 | 22.0% | +8.6% |
| 2023 | 21.0% | -4.2% |
| 2024 | 18.7% | -11.0% |
| 2025 | 20.3% | +8.4% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 20.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 41.9%, 48% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 20.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30.0%, 68% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 23.6% | 22.6% | 24.6% | 5 |
| 1970s | 26.2% | 22.8% | 28.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.3% | 16.0% | 31.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.1% | 9.8% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.1% | 20.8% | 29.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.4% | 20.8% | 27.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.1% | 18.5% | 22.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More economy & growth data for Cameroon
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.05 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.53 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 63.42 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0012 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 2.18 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 888.22 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 8.12 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0167 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 30.5 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 3.68 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imports of goods and services in Cameroon?
- Imports of goods and services in Cameroon was 20.3% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 31.6% in 1985.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.8% in 1993.
- How does Cameroon rank for imports of goods and services?
- Cameroon ranks 176th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is imports of goods and services rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Imports of goods includes change in the economic ownership of goods from non-residents to residents of the compiling economy, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Imports of services includes services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.