Southern Africa Tops Continental Trade Rankings, Outshining East Africa in Intra-Regional Commerce
Southern Africa has emerged as the top-performing region in Africa for both intra- and inter-regional trade, according to the latest African Trade Heatmaps report released by Afreximbank.
With an intra-regional trade share of 81.4 per cent, Southern Africa outpaces West Africa (66.3 per cent) and East Africa (63.6 per cent). North Africa lags behind at 49.4 per cent, while Central Africa records the lowest intra-regional trade rate at just 14.2 per cent.
The report attributes Southern Africa’s strong showing to advanced trade infrastructure, a diversified economy, and effective cooperation under the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Trade with Global Partners
In terms of international trade, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco are identified as Africa’s key trade engines. These nations maintain substantial ties with global partners including China, India, the US, France, and Belgium.
China continues to dominate as Africa’s largest single-country trade partner.
Disparities Among Nations
The report also highlights significant disparities in trade performance across the continent. Landlocked and smaller countries like Burundi, Comoros, and São Tomé and Príncipe face persistent structural barriers such as poor infrastructure, limited industrial capacity, and geographical isolation.
Encouraging Regional Integration
Despite the challenges, Afreximbank notes promising signs of deeper integration within key regional blocs such as ECOWAS, COMESA, and SADC. These groups are showing increased internal trade linkages, laying the groundwork for greater success under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Sectoral Patterns
North Africa leads in exports of manufactured goods, while agricultural exports dominate in West and East Africa. Overall, the continent’s exports are largely commodities-based, with agricultural products, fuels, and mining outputs taking the lead.
High-tech exports such as machinery, chemicals, telecommunications, and electronics remain underdeveloped, typically comprising less than five per cent of total exports in most African countries.
Heavy Import Dependence
On the import side, African nations continue to rely heavily on industrial and manufactured goods, particularly machinery and transport equipment. This reliance underscores the continent’s dependence on foreign sources for infrastructure and industrial development.
Afreximbank suggests that the AfCFTA could offer a transformative opportunity for African nations to accelerate manufacturing, industrialisation, and value addition across key sectors.
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Southern Africa Tops Continental Trade Rankings, Outshining East Africa in Intra-Regional Commerce