Africa Emerges as Major Destination for Chinese Exports as Shipments Surpass $100 Billion

Johannesburg – February 5, 2026 — Africa has strengthened its position as one of China’s fastest-growing export destinations, with Chinese shipments to the continent surpassing $100 billion in the first half of 2025, according to recent trade data.

Figures show that China’s exports to Africa recorded year-on-year growth of approximately 21.6%, driven by rising infrastructure development, industrialisation, and expanding consumer demand across several African economies.

The continent’s three largest economies — Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt — ranked as the top African importers of Chinese goods, collectively accounting for nearly one-third of total exports to Africa during the first seven months of 2025. Demand in these markets was fuelled primarily by construction activity, manufacturing inputs, and consumer products.

Beyond the largest economies, smaller and less-developed African countries also recorded sharp increases in imports from China. Guinea, Angola, Malawi, Eritrea, and Mali each posted import growth exceeding 60% year-on-year, highlighting a broader diversification of African trade flows.

Between January and May 2025 alone, Africa’s imports from China increased by $12 billion, with Nigeria accounting for $2.4 billion, followed by Guinea at $1.1 billion, Angola at $1.0 billion, and Côte d’Ivoire at $800 million.

Sectoral data shows that Africa’s imports from China remain dominated by machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, vehicles, mineral fuels, and oils. In 2025, African countries imported an estimated $13 billion worth of machinery and appliances and $11.6 billion in electrical and electronic equipment from China. Shipments of construction machinery surged 63%, while passenger vehicle exports more than doubled.

Trade policy shifts have also influenced the surge. In June 2025, China removed tariffs on imports from African countries with diplomatic ties, while approving new agricultural imports from countries including Ethiopia, Congo, Gambia, and Malawi.

Meanwhile, the reactivation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has restored preferential access to US markets for eligible African countries, following a period of uncertainty after the programme expired in September 2025. For more than two decades, AGOA enabled tariff-free access for 1,800 products, supporting exports exceeding $800 billion by 2022.

Despite expanding opportunities, analysts and institutions such as Afreximbank have highlighted persistent structural challenges, including limited trade finance, fragmented regulatory systems, and exchange-rate volatility, which may constrain Africa’s ability to fully capitalise on growing trade with China.

Nevertheless, Africa’s rising absorption of Chinese goods underscores the continent’s growing importance within global trade networks — a trend expected to shape economic positioning and trade dynamics heading into 2026 and beyond.