Where African demand for building materials is: six markets, October 2026

We track 120 construction, industrial, healthcare and hospitality projects in six West and Central African countries, and break each one down into the supplies it needs: close to 800 opportunities as of 6 October 2026. Here is what they say about demand for building materials and finishing products, category by category and country by country.

The five categories that come up everywhere

In all six countries, the same product families appear in most building projects:

Category	Opportunities identified	Countries where it leads
Sanitary ware and faucets	69	Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, Senegal
Steel and metal structures	63	Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal
Cement, concrete and structural materials	66	Togo, Côte d'Ivoire
HVAC	57	present in all six
Lighting	57	present in all six

Tiles and ceramics follow with 42 opportunities, aluminium joinery with 25, plumbing with 23. These figures count projects, not volumes: a 3,100-home programme and a 40-bed clinic each count as one opportunity per category.

Country by country

Côte d'Ivoire. The deepest market: 17 projects tracked, including housing programmes, a teaching hospital and industrial zones. Steel (16 opportunities) and structural materials (13) lead, ahead of sanitary ware, HVAC and tiles (10 to 11 each).

Senegal. Steel and sanitary ware tie (14), then HVAC (13), tiles and lighting (10). Hotel projects in Dakar and on the Petite Côte drive furniture and finishing demand.

Cameroon. Sanitary ware (12), then steel, lighting and HVAC (9 each). Demand comes mostly from public housing programmes and industrial projects in Douala and Kribi.

Gabon. Sanitary ware (14), steel (11), HVAC (10). One 3,100-home programme in Ntoum, financed by local banks, covers a dozen categories on its own.

Benin. Sanitary ware (11), lighting (10), structural materials (9). The Glo-Djigbé industrial zone pulls demand for metal structures and equipment.

Togo. Structural materials lead (22), driven by a 20,000 affordable-homes programme and road works; then lighting (10), steel (8), sanitary ware (7).

What this means for a Moroccan manufacturer

Morocco produces all five leading categories at scale: sanitary ware (Roca Maroc, Jacob Delafon, SBS Porcher), steel (Sonasid, Maghreb Steel, Riva), cement (groups present in five of the six countries), HVAC equipment (ICAT, Hachani) and LED lighting (Lux Lighting, GMT New Lighting). Several already ship to Dakar and Abidjan.

Three practical lessons:

1. Sanitary ware is the entry door. Present in every country, needed by hotels, hospitals and housing alike, with Moroccan producers already experienced in export.
2. Structural materials are decided in Togo and Côte d'Ivoire, where public housing programmes create volume, under public-procurement rules.
3. HVAC and lighting are where a mid-size Moroccan manufacturer can break through, as competition is less structured than in cement or steel.

Method

Every project comes from an identified public source (business press, the owner's website, tender portals), with its date. Purchase categories are inferred from the project type and stage. We publish these aggregates; the detail of each project and buyer is reserved for subscribed suppliers.

FAQ

Which African countries buy the most building materials from Morocco?

In our October 2026 tracking, Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal hold the most projects and opportunities, ahead of Cameroon and Gabon. Togo stands out for structural materials thanks to its housing programmes.

Which Moroccan building products are most in demand in West Africa?

Sanitary ware and faucets, steel and metal structures, cement and structural materials, HVAC and lighting. Tiles and aluminium joinery come next.

How can I access the detail of these projects?

Suppliers based in Morocco access it through an annual subscription; African buyers can submit a free quote request to be matched with qualified Moroccan suppliers.