China’s exports to Africa have surged by 25% year-on-year, reaching $122 billion in 2025, driven by growing demand for Chinese products on the continent. According to a report by Bloomberg, Africa’s trade volume with China has already surpassed the entire 2020 trade volume, with predictions that it will exceed $200 billion for the first time. Construction machinery, passenger cars, and steel products are among the fastest-growing exports, with shipments increasing by 63%, more than doubling, and rising in high double digits, respectively.
The growth in trade is fueled by the escalating U.S.-China trade war, which has pushed Chinese firms to seek new outlets for their goods. President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched in 2013, has laid the foundation for the boom, with Chinese companies winning contracts for large-scale projects across the continent. Some goods destined for the U.S. are being diverted through Africa, a tactic known as transshipment, according to Gavekal’s Beddor.
Rising protectionism in Washington has given an extra incentive for Africa to buy from Beijing, with several goods from over 30 nations on the continent that had duty-free access to American markets now being subjected to tariffs. In response, Xi has announced the removal of levies on imports from all African nations with which China has diplomatic ties. Additionally, the Chinese government has allowed imports of agricultural products from four African countries, bringing the total number of countries with access to China’s market to 19.
The growing trade relationship between China and Africa is significant, with China emerging as Nigeria’s largest source of imports in the first quarter of 2025. Africa has also signed $30.5 billion in construction contracts with China in the first half of 2025, a five-fold increase from the same period last year. The partnership has the potential to bring know-how and industrial expertise to a continent struggling with costly logistics and patchy infrastructure. With less than half of the population having reliable electricity access, African nations are increasingly turning to China for solar panels, with imports surging 60% in the 12 months through June.
The surge in trade between China and Africa highlights the shifting dynamics of global trade and the growing importance of the African continent as a market for Chinese goods. As the trade war between the U.S. and China continues, Africa is likely to become an increasingly important partner for China, with significant implications for the global economy.
