Africa’s Industrial Leaders and Rising Manufacturing Economies
Morocco, South Africa and Egypt remain Africa’s leading industrial economies; DRC, Djibouti and Gabon recorded the largest gains in competitiveness
Africa’s Trade Is Shifting Increasingly Toward China
China’s share of Africa’s trade has expanded sharply since 2001, with imports from China now matching Europe’s share
Africa’s Export Growth Remains Commodity-Led, with Scale Concentrated in a Handful of Economies
Exports have grown steadily since 2015, but minerals, fuels and metals still dominate, while five countries account for half of the total
Africa’s Import Demand Continues to Grow as Industrial and Consumer Markets Expand
Machinery, electronics, fuels and industrial inputs dominate Africa’s imports, and China remains the continent’s largest supplier
Global Data Centre Infrastructure Is Highly Concentrated, With Africa Largely Absent and Asia Uneven
The U.S. and Europe dominate global data centre infrastructure, while Asia’s footprint is concentrated in a few hubs
China’s Trade With Africa Accelerates as Industrial Exports Surge and Surplus Widens
China’s exports to Africa grew 26% in 2025, led by machinery, vehicles and light manufacturing, while imports expanded only modestly.
Africa FDI Map and Investment Outlook After 2024 Boom and 2025 Pullback
The volatility and geographic concentration of investment flows raises questions about Africa’s ability to sustain momentum into 2026 and beyond.
South African Exports to China Could Accelerate Under New Zero-Tariff Deal
The new framework could unlock growth in non-commodity exports, especially food, autos and industrial intermediates.
Africa Growth Map 2025: Resilient Momentum Amid Regional Disparities
The African Development Bank projects Africa’s GDP growth at 4.3% in 2026. We test this perspective by reviewing the continent’s 2025 growth landscape.
How Africa’s Trade Structure Shifted From 2014 to 2024
Metals, agricultural goods and food products led export gains, while food, textiles and manufactured inputs rose fastest on the import side.