China’s exports to Africa jumped 25% year-on-year to reach $122 billion in the first seven months of 2025, driven by strong demand for construction machinery, passenger cars, steel products, and solar panels.
According to Bloomberg, the surge has already surpassed Africa’s entire 2020 trade volume with China and is on track to top $200 billion for the first time. Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt remain China’s top trade partners on the continent.
Construction machinery emerged as the fastest-growing category, soaring 63% year-on-year, while passenger car shipments more than doubled. Steel products recorded double-digit growth, and imports of Chinese solar panels rose 60% over the past year, reflecting Africa’s increasing investment in renewable energy.
Despite the gains, Africa still accounts for only about 6% of China’s total exports, roughly half the share of the United States. However, analysts say the escalating U.S.–China trade war has accelerated Beijing’s pivot toward African markets, with some goods originally bound for the U.S. now diverted through Africa in a practice known as transshipment.
The boom is also being fueled by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with African countries signing $30.5 billion worth of construction contracts with China in the first half of 2025 alone — five times more than during the same period last year.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has reinforced ties by scrapping tariffs on imports from all African nations with diplomatic relations with Beijing. In June, China opened its market to agricultural products from Ethiopia, Congo, Gambia, and Malawi, bringing the total number of African countries with such access to 19.
With Africa struggling with high logistics costs and inadequate infrastructure, analysts note that China’s industrial capacity and expertise could provide vital support to the continent’s economic growth.
