Burkina Faso: TEXFORCES-BF, a textile factory worth 17 billion FCFA inaugurated in Bobo-Dioulasso

According to the Burkinabè government, TEXFORCES-BF has an initial processing capacity of over 12 tonnes of cotton fiber per day. Authorities announced that annual production could reach 20 million meters of fabric, approximately 6 million uniforms, 6 million t-shirts, and more than one million pairs of socks.

The Burkinabè Ministry of Economy and Finance estimates the investment at 17 billion CFA francs. Official data reported by Xinhua and APA agencies indicate that the complex is expected to create around 600 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs in its initial phase.

The factory is part of the authorities’ strategy to enhance local cotton processing, one of the country’s main agricultural products, and to reduce imports of finished textile products. The government also presents the project as a means to retain more added value within the national territory.

Aiming for growth

In the long term, Burkinabè authorities aim to increase processing to 50,000 tonnes of cotton per year, with weaving capacity potentially reaching 100 million meters of fabric and over 20 million finished pieces annually. They also mention a potential for 20,000 direct jobs and 60,000 jobs or livelihoods supported within the cotton ecosystem.

During the ceremony, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Handicrafts, Serge Gnaniodem Poda, described TEXFORCES-BF as a tool designed to first meet national needs while preparing for an opening towards sub-regional markets. The complex is set to produce for the military, paramilitary, professional, and civilian sectors.

The commissioning of TEXFORCES-BF comes at a time when Burkina Faso is seeking to further develop processing units for its raw materials. In Bobo-Dioulasso, the country’s second-largest city and an important industrial hub, authorities aim to make the complex a key link in an integrated textile supply chain centered around locally produced cotton.