China’s Trade With Africa

Africa’s imports reached USD 789 billion in 2025, continuing a long-term upward trend driven by industrial expansion, infrastructure investment and rising consumer demand across the continent. Despite periods of commodity volatility, currency pressure and weaker global trade conditions, Africa’s import demand has remained structurally resilient, reflecting the continued expansion of urban economies, manufacturing activity and consumption markets.

The composition of imports highlights the continent’s industrial and supply-chain priorities. Machinery, electronics, transport equipment, fuels and industrial inputs dominate import structures across most major African economies, underlining continued dependence on external manufacturing ecosystems and production capabilities. South Africa, Egypt and Morocco remained Africa’s three largest importers in 2025, together accounting for roughly 40% of the continent’s total imports, reflecting their larger industrial, infrastructure and consumer markets.

China remained Africa’s largest external supplier, accounting for 27% of total imports in 2025, more than the U.S., India, Germany and France combined. This reflects China’s growing role across industrial equipment, manufactured goods, infrastructure inputs and consumer supply chains throughout the continent.

The broader trend is that Africa’s economic expansion continues to increase demand for imported industrial systems, intermediate goods and consumer products faster than domestic manufacturing capacity is expanding. While regional industrialisation efforts are progressing in several economies, infrastructure constraints, logistics costs and limited manufacturing depth continue to reinforce reliance on external suppliers across many sectors.