Central and West Africa Timber Market Report: Gabon and Cameroon's Exports to China Rebound, Demand for Okoume Logs Revives

The latest market report from the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) has reviewed the timber market conditions in Gabon, Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo. The results show that geopolitical uncertainties, rising freight costs and persistently weak international demand are jointly constraining the timber markets in Central and West Africa. There are no clear signs of recovery in the European buyer market for the time being.

The overall market situation in the region remains largely unchanged compared to the previous reporting period. The slight recovery in China's demand for okoumé timber is the most positive signal in this assessment; however, the European market has yet to show signs of recovery, and although demand in the Middle East remains relatively stable, the ongoing regional tensions have made the market situation more complex.

Shipping companies have announced another round of freight rate hikes, adding direct cost pressure to an already cautious market. In the coming weeks, it will become clear whether the increasing logistics burden will significantly weaken the timber export momentum in the region - which is already in a state of capacity reduction. 

01 Gabon

In Gabon, the recovery of China's demand for Okoume wood, coupled with orders from Middle Eastern buyers, has provided a strong boost to sawmills struggling with business difficulties and is the most encouraging demand signal in the entire region. However, the competition from low-priced Brazilian pine has continued to squeeze the space for African wood in the Philippine and Middle Eastern markets, weakening the positive impact of the recovery in Chinese demand and adding more competitive pressure to the market, which is already constrained by weak downstream demand.

Power supply issues continue to disrupt production. Although the authorities have promised that the situation will stabilize, power outages remain frequent. The Owendo port is operating normally, and the supply of containers remains stable. 

02 Cameroon

In the Cameroonian market, Chinese purchasers have largely returned to the market and are actively seeking new supply contracts, bringing some operational impetus to the already sluggish industry. This is the clearest sign of recovery among the three evaluated countries. Previously, Chinese purchasers had reduced their local purchases. When they returned to the market this time, downstream demand remained weak and was insufficient to support a significant increase in production. 

Most sawmills only operate a single shift, and manufacturers are cautious about the short-term outlook, with production strictly limited. It is reported that three sawmills in Douala have closed and moved outside the city, and this structural adjustment will affect domestic capacity in the short term. Container supplies at the ports of Douala and Kribi are sufficient, and port operations have not been disrupted. 

03 Congo (Brazzaville)

The timber industry in the Republic of the Congo is operating smoothly as a whole. Logging operations in the main production areas are proceeding normally, and there have been no major production disruptions. The road repair project in Likouala has improved inland transportation conditions, and the timber transportation routes are gradually shifting to the ports of Kribi and Douala instead of Pointe-Noire. 

04 Market Risk Summary

The ITTO April assessment pointed out that the continuous rise in freight rates is the most direct risk to the current competitiveness of wood exports in the region. Shipping companies have announced a new round of price hikes, and wood enterprises in Gabon, Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo have to bear the additional costs. Meanwhile, in their major export markets, African wood is continuously being replaced by low-priced Brazilian pine. 

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