Local cotton manufacturing is expanding into surgical textiles as the continent seeks import alternatives and redirects more fibre toward domestically produced goods.
African manufacturers are progressively converting domestically grown cotton into high‑value medical textiles, providing a viable domestic alternative to raw exports and costly imports.
While this transition remains modest relative to the continent’s overall cotton sector, nations across the region face mounting pressure to increase production of the health products they consume.
Growing demand has attracted entrepreneurs along Africa’s cotton value chain who seek an early foothold in a sector poised for robust expansion over the next four years.
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Mordor Intelligence forecasts the Africa textile market to grow to $49.41 billion by 2030, from $39.21 billion in 2025.
Mordor Intelligence identifies medical and healthcare textiles as the fastest‑growing segment, projecting a 5.71% compound annual growth rate through 2030, driven by heightened demand for hospital and surgical applications.
Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia are constructing hospitals via public‑private partnerships that standardize orders for surgical drapes, fluid‑repellent gowns, and certified wound dressings. These initiatives have spurred IFC‑backed factories in Ghana and Kenya to install clean‑room production lines compliant with ISO 13485 standards.
Transitioning toward local sourcing offers manufacturers a more resilient market than the fashion sector, where producers typically rely on foreign buyers and volatile order flows.
For many cotton‑producing nations, the upside is significant given that most required raw material is already cultivated domestically. In Ethiopia, Adama Development has expanded beyond spinning operations to launch a dedicated medical‑textile unit, Nazmed Medical Textiles, complementing its cotton and textile activities.
A textile‑sector specialist affiliated with the company describes Nazmed as integral to Adama Development’s expanded medical‑textile portfolio.
This evolution marks a paradigm shift in how African manufacturers evaluate cotton, unlocking greater commercial potential from the crop itself.
According to UN Trade and Development, roughly 70% of Africa’s cotton exports constitute primary intermediates—chiefly cotton fibre—while only 12% comprise yarn and 18% are finished fabrics.
The OECD‑FAO Agricultural Outlook anticipates that Africa will ship approximately 80% of its cotton output abroad by 2035, though expanding textile and apparel sectors in nations such as Ethiopia and Benin temper this trajectory.
Mordor Intelligence identifies medical and healthcare textiles as the fastest‑growing segment, forecasting a 5.71% compound annual growth rate through 2030, fueled by surging demand for hospital and operating‑theatre products.
Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia are constructing hospitals through public‑private collaborations that standardize orders for surgical drapes, fluid‑repellent gowns, and certified wound dressings. These projects have prompted IFC‑backed plants in Ghana and Kenya to incorporate clean‑room environments aligned with ISO 13485 norms.
Everness Nankala, spokesperson for Zambia’s Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, characterized the effort as proof of the government’s drive toward industrial advancement and job creation for Zambians, emphasizing that the facility will curtail reliance on imports while fostering inclusive development.
Another Zambian entrepreneur, Carrivorus Simasinti, launched Premier Multipurpose Cooperative Society in 2016 after witnessing domestic cotton exports followed by purchases of imported absorbent products. Simasinti directs his operation to transform cotton lint into absorbent and surgical wool for medical and sanitary uses.
By 2021, UNCTAD highlighted output of approximately 7,200 kg of surgical cotton wool monthly, with roughly 70 % sold internally and the remainder distributed to neighboring markets.
Simasinti observed, “Demand for this product remains strong,” in discussion with UN Trade and Development.
The firm employs local inputs almost exclusively and possesses facilities capable of manufacturing textiles across diverse weight categories, designs, and finish options.
Specialists further note entries into advanced medical fibres—such as Reusable Laminates, theater‑grade textiles, clean‑room suits, and procedural kits—for African consumers. PrionTex, among newer entrants, produces breathable three‑layer surgical gowns tested to EN 13795 specifications to impede fluids, pathogens, and microorganisms.
Zimbabwe has likewise identified a niche, with Zimbabwe Hosiery manufacturing tubular medical bandages in twin series: the Tubidress line relies entirely on 100 % cotton yarn, whereas the Perlon range blends cotton with polyester fibers. The company affirmed that the Tubidress bandages derive from single‑fiber cotton yarn, fulfilling continuous demand for essential hospital supplies.
These trajectories demonstrate why healthcare constitutes an appealing arena for African textile manufacturers along the cotton value chain, buoyed by a broader mandate to fortify regional health‑production capacities. As industrial clustering accelerates, market demand is poised to rise sharply following sustained mechanisation.
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