Top 10 African Countries with the Highest Trade Exports and Imports Within the Continent

The African Trade Report (2024) highlights key players in intra-African trade, focusing on countries that lead in both imports and exports across the continent. Here’s a summary of the top 10 countries involved in intra-African trade:

Top 10 African Countries by Intra-African Trade

1. South Africa
   • Intra-Africa Imports: $29.6 billion
   • Intra-Africa Exports: $9.59 billion
   • Total Intra-Africa Trade: $39.19 billion
2. Côte d’Ivoire
   • Intra-Africa Imports: $11.38 billion
   • Intra-Africa Exports: $4.7 billion
   • Total Intra-Africa Trade: $16.08 billion
3. Egypt
   • Intra-Africa Imports: $6.61 billion
   • Intra-Africa Exports: $1.63 billion
   • Total Intra-Africa Trade: $8.24 billion
4. Nigeria
   • Intra-Africa Imports: $5.63 billion
   • Intra-Africa Exports: $2.36 billion
   • Total Intra-Africa Trade: $7.99 billion
5. Zimbabwe
   • Intra-Africa Imports: $2.9 billion
   • Intra-Africa Exports: $4.73 billion
   • Total Intra-Africa Trade: $7.63 billion
6. Mali
   • Intra-Africa Imports: $2.52 billion
   • Intra-Africa Exports: $5.03 billion
   • Total Intra-Africa Trade: $7.55 billion
7. Ghana
   • Intra-Africa Imports: $6.02 billion
   • Intra-Africa Exports: $1.33 billion
   • Total Intra-Africa Trade: $7.35 billion
8. Zambia
   • Intra-Africa Imports: $3.17 billion
   • Intra-Africa Exports: $3.75 billion
   • Total Intra-Africa Trade: $6.92 billion
9. DR Congo
   • Intra-Africa Imports: $3.34 billion
   • Intra-Africa Exports: $3.55 billion
   • Total Intra-Africa Trade: $6.89 billion
10. Namibia
    • Intra-Africa Imports: $3.15 billion
    • Intra-Africa Exports: $3.12 billion
    • Total Intra-Africa Trade: $6.27 billion

Regional Trade Insights

• Southern Africa: Leading in intra-African trade, accounting for a significant portion of total trade within the continent.
• West Africa: The second-largest region for intra-African trade, contributing 25.7% of the total.
• East Africa: The third-largest region, contributing 14.1%.
• North and Central Africa: Contributing about 12.4% and 6.6%, respectively.

Challenges and Future Outlook

Several factors have been identified as barriers to intra-African trade, including:

• Increased inflation and economic uncertainty
• High transport costs
• Unfavorable foreign exchange rates
• Political instability
• High tariff costs

The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is expected to address these challenges and significantly boost intra-African trade by 52.3% by 2025, potentially increasing Africa’s income by up to $450 billion by 2035.

This comprehensive view of intra-African trade highlights the key players and regional dynamics shaping the continent’s economic landscape.