Building capacity to help Africa trade better

Intra-Africa trade profile – 2017

Infographics

Intra-Africa trade profile – 2017

Although trade within the continent remains low and has not changed significantly over time, the 2016-2017 period saw an 8% increase in intra-Africa exports, with intra-Africa exports reaching 16% of Africa’s world exports in 2017. Meanwhile, 13% of Africa’s world imports were intra-Africa imports.

In terms of top exporters, 53% of intra-Africa exports in 2017 were products exported from South Africa (34%), Nigeria (7%), Egypt (5%), Ivory Coast (4%) and Morocco (3%). South Africa is also the main destination market (17% of intra-Africa exports were imported by South Africa), followed by Botswana (7%), Zambia (7%), Namibia (6%), Mozambique (5%) and Zimbabwe (4%).

By product category, Africa’s top intra-Africa goods exports in 2017 were machinery, followed by chemical products; food, beverages and tobacco; and transport equipment and mineral products.

Within the regional economic communities (RECs), the following can be noted:

  • 55% of COMESA’s exports to Africa are intra-COMESA exports

  • 65% of intra-Africa exports by CEN-SAD members are intra-REC exports

  • 54% of the EAC’s intra-Africa exports are intra-REC exports

  • 35% of exports from ECCAS countries are intra-ECCAS exports

  • 65% of exports from ECOWAS countries are intra-ECOWAS exports

  • 56% of intra-Africa exports by IGAD member states are intra-REC exports

  • 87% of exports from SADC countries are intra-SADC exports

Intra-Africa trade profile – 2017
Tell us what you think

A user account is required to download these files. Registration to the tralac website is free of charge and for monitoring purposes only.

Contact

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel +27 21 880 2010