Non-tariff trade costs refer to costs other than tariffs involved in trading goods bilaterally between trade partners, including transport costs, costs associated with completing trade procedures, and the time it takes to obtain necessary information

In 2017, the highest average non-tariff trade costs (ad valorem equivalent) for all goods traded with African trade partners were found in Mauritius, Mozambique, Burkina Faso and Ghana. Countries with the highest average decline in non-tariff trade costs over the 2016-2017 period were Tunisia (average decline of 16%), Central African Republic (15%), Sierra Leone (15%), Mauritius (12%) and Madagascar (11%).

The bilateral intra-Africa non-tariff trade cost for most African countries is higher for trade in agricultural products than for trade in manufactured goods. The only exceptions are Zimbabwe and Mauritius – manufactured goods trade between Zimbabwe and other African countries is subject to an average additional ad valorem equivalent trade cost of 141%, while intra-Africa manufactured goods trade with Mauritius is an average 11% more costly than intra-Africa trade in agriculture.

The bilateral trade costs reported in this infographic (excluding tariffs) are sourced from the ESCAP-World Bank trade cost database.