Several African nations are emerging as the world’s fastest-growing trading economies, according to the DHL Trade Atlas 2025, reflecting the continent’s rising prominence in global trade and investment.
While China and the United States continue to dominate overall trade volumes, contributing 18 percent and 14 percent, respectively, to global trade growth over the past five years, countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire recorded double-digit trade growth between 2019 and 2024.
This growth has been fueled by rising global demand for minerals, agricultural commodities, and shipping services.
The DHL Trade Atlas 2025 highlights Africa’s top 10 fastest-growing trading nations, ranked by trade growth rates rather than absolute size.
– Democratic Republic of Congo – Growth Rate (2019–2024): 16%, Rank: 122, Projected Growth (2024–2029): 10%, Key Drivers/Exports: Copper and cobalt exports, critical for EV batteries and renewable technologies.
– Zimbabwe – Growth Rate: 14%, Rank: 2, Projected Growth: 16%, Key Drivers/Exports: Mineral exports (gold, platinum, nickel) and a rebound in agriculture.
– Liberia – Growth Rate: 13%, Rank: 57, Projected Growth: 5%, Key Drivers/Exports: Mineral exports and maritime trade, boosted by its flag-of-convenience shipping registry.
– Côte d’Ivoire – Growth Rate: 11%, Rank: 40, Projected Growth: 6%, Key Drivers/Exports: Cocoa (world’s largest producer), cashew, and rubber exports.
– Rwanda – Growth Rate: 9%, Rank: 48, Projected Growth: 5%, Key Drivers/Exports: Gold, tin, tantalum exports and growing role in regional logistics.
– Guinea – Growth Rate: 8%, Rank: 26, Projected Growth: 7%, Key Drivers/Exports: Bauxite exports, central to global aluminium supply.
– Tanzania – Growth Rate: 7%, Rank: 13, Projected Growth: 8%, Key Drivers/Exports: Gold, cashew, and coffee exports; infrastructure investment driving flows.
– Togo – Growth Rate: 6%, Rank: 21, Projected Growth: 7%, Key Drivers/Exports: Phosphates, cotton, and port-driven trade activity.
– Mozambique – Growth Rate: 6%, Rank: 23, Projected Growth: 7%, Key Drivers/Exports: Aluminium, coal, and emerging natural gas exports.
– Senegal – Growth Rate: 5%, Rank: 10, Projected Growth: 9%, Key Drivers/Exports: Phosphates, gold, and fishery products.
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Sub-Saharan Africa’s trade is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.3 percent between 2024 and 2029, sharply up from 0.8 percent between 2019 and 2024, positioning the continent as a dynamic player in global supply chains.
Africa is emerging as a key supplier of critical minerals such as cobalt, copper, bauxite, and manganese, essential for electric vehicles, renewable technologies, and electronics, while consolidating its role in global food systems through exports of cocoa, cashew, grains, and fisheries vital to food security in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Despite this growth, risks remain. Many of Africa’s fastest-growing trading nations are heavily dependent on raw material exports, exposing them to commodity price volatility, Business Insider reported.
Transport costs are up to five times higher per unit distance than in the United States, and logistics costs remain 40–60 percent above the global average.
Climate shocks also pose a threat, with more than 90 million people in eastern and southern Africa facing hunger due to prolonged droughts, and Zimbabwe alone recording a 70 percent decline in its corn harvest.
Globally, China and the United States remain the largest trading economies, though their growth has slowed, ranking only 72nd and 77th in trade growth speed between 2019 and 2024.
India, the world’s 13th largest trading economy, grew at a CAGR of 5.2 percent during the same period, becoming the third-largest contributor to global trade growth.
Africa mirrors this shift, starting from smaller bases, several African nations are now among the fastest-growing globally, reshaping trade patterns despite lower absolute volumes.
Digital trade is further accelerating growth. UNCTAD reports that international e-commerce expanded from $1.9 trillion in 2016 to $2.9 trillion in 2022, creating new opportunities for African firms to access global markets without heavy infrastructure costs.
From supplying critical minerals for clean energy to exporting food and industrial inputs, Africa’s expanding role is increasingly evident, powering electric vehicles in Europe, feeding households in the Middle East, and supplying factories in Asia.
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Image Credit: Altezza Travel
