Sourcing & Trade Guide
Best African Countries to Export to From China: Top 10 (2026)
Comilmart Team
October 12, 2026
Which are the best African countries to export to from China? There is no single answer, because "best" depends on your product, price point and appetite for risk. What we can do is rank markets on one measurable thing: how much each country actually imports from China. This guide uses the World Bank's WITS database for 2022, the most recent year for which we could read comparable country summaries, shows the ten largest markets we could compare, and explains what the ranking does and does not tell you before you choose where to ship first.
How we ranked the best African countries to export to from China
We used the World Bank's World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS) country trade summaries for 2022. For each country we recorded total imports, the value of imports from China, and China's share. The table below ranks countries by the value of imports from China. Data year: 2022 for every country shown. WITS figures are reported by the importing country, and the underlying customs data can differ from what Chinese exporters report, so use the table to judge scale, not to forecast your own sales.
Two limits to keep in mind. First, we included only countries for which a 2022 WITS summary was readable and complete. Algeria's 2022 summary page showed no import total, so we left it out rather than mix years. Ethiopia's most recent WITS page shows 2023 rather than 2022 (total imports US$17,050 million, of which US$5,572 million, or 32.68%, came from China), a value large enough to sit in this table, so treat it as a market to research. Second, the ranking says nothing about ease of entry, payment risk or product rules.
The 10 largest African markets for Chinese goods (2022)
| Rank | Country | Imports from China (US$ million) | Total imports (US$ million) | China's share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 22,462 | 111,880 | 20.08% |
| 2 | Egypt | 14,764 | 96,189 | 15.35% |
| 3 | Nigeria | 13,767 | 60,671 | 22.69% |
| 4 | Morocco | 7,284 | 72,578 | 10.04% |
| 5 | Tanzania | 3,945 | 15,654 | 25.20% |
| 6 | Kenya | 3,840 | 21,101 | 18.20% |
| 7 | Ghana | 3,187 | 17,963 | 17.74% |
| 8 | Angola | 2,856 | 17,803 | 16.04% |
| 9 | Cote d'Ivoire | 2,575 | 17,889 | 14.40% |
| 10 | Uganda | 1,925 | 9,748 | 19.75% |
Source: World Bank WITS country trade summaries, 2022 (see, for example, the South Africa and Nigeria pages; each country has an equivalent page). Senegal just missed the list at US$1,210 million. China ranked first among import partners in every country in the table except Morocco, where it was third.
How to read the share column: a high share, such as Tanzania's 25.20% or Nigeria's 22.69%, means buyers there already import a lot from China, so your product competes with established Chinese suppliers and importers know the sourcing route. A lower share, such as Morocco's 10.04%, means other suppliers (the WITS pages list Spain, France and others) hold more of the market, which can signal room to compete but also different buyer expectations. Neither is better; they call for different pitches.
What each market buys: stage of processing
WITS also splits imports by stage of processing, which hints at where a manufacturer fits. In 2022, consumer goods were about 51% of Nigeria's imports, 50% of Ghana's and 50% of Angola's, 46% of Kenya's and Uganda's, and 43% of Tanzania's. South Africa's mix was more balanced (consumer goods about 40%, capital goods about 25%), and Egypt's was weighted to intermediate goods (about 32%) with raw materials about 25%. Morocco was about 36% consumer goods and 31% intermediate goods, and Cote d'Ivoire about 34% consumer goods with raw materials about 23%.
If you make finished consumer products, the West and East African markets in the table are natural places to test. If you make components, materials or machinery, South Africa, Egypt and Morocco have larger shares of intermediate and capital goods. The SAIS-CARI data page also reports that South Africa was the largest importer of Chinese goods in 2024, followed by Nigeria and Egypt, which is consistent with the 2022 ranking (SAIS-CARI data page).
Beyond the numbers: what makes a market easier to enter
Size is only one input. Before picking from the best African countries to export to from China, score each shortlisted market on:
- Import procedure. Who must act as the importer, and what documents are needed? Our country guides cover Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa.
- Product rules. Is there a pre-shipment conformity check for your product category?
- Payment and currency. How do you get paid, in which currency and on what terms?
- Freight. Which port, which route, and at what cost?
Rules change, so confirm the current position for your product with the destination authority or your forwarder before shipping.
A simple way to shortlist the best African countries to export to from China
- Pick the two or three largest markets in the table where your product category fits the import mix.
- Read the official import and standards pages for each, and note what your buyer must do.
- Estimate landed cost for each using our pricing guide.
- Test one market with a small first order or sample before expanding.
Frequently asked questions
Which African country imports the most from China? In the 2022 WITS summaries we compared, South Africa, at US$22,462 million, followed by Egypt and Nigeria. SAIS-CARI reports the same top three for 2024.
Why is the data from 2022? It was the latest year for which we could read consistent summaries across all the countries listed. Newer data may be available from national customs offices.
Does a high import value mean it is easy to sell there? No. A big market can also have strict product rules or competitive pricing. Use the table as a starting point.
Should a small factory start with the biggest market? Not necessarily. Smaller markets may have fewer competitors, but also smaller buyers. Our guide to which market to enter first compares four countries.
Can I sell to several countries at once? Yes, but each has different import steps, so start with one or two.
Getting started
Once you have a shortlist, the next step is to put your products in front of African buyers. Start at /sell-to-africa and apply as a supplier at /apply-manufacturer; it is free and you can add the country and city where your factory is based. Comilmart is a marketplace for Africa and does not guarantee buyers, orders or prices.