African merchandise exports surged 14% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, positioning the continent as the world’s second fastest-growing export region behind Asia.
The World Trade Organization disclosed this in its trade outlook report, titled “Global goods trade resilient in the first quarter of 2026 despite war in Middle East,” released on Friday.
Global merchandise trade value expanded 11% overall, defying widespread supply chain bottlenecks, lingering tariff pressures, and severe freight disruptions across the Middle East.
Africa’s export momentum was anchored by robust international demand for primary commodities, particularly precious metals, copper, fertilizers, mineral ores, and energy products.
Seasonally adjusted global trade volume rose 1.9% quarter-on-quarter. A 40% surge in artificial intelligence hardware trade offset Middle East shipping contractions.
Asia led global trade growth, recording a 12.9% rise in export volumes. That growth was propelled by intra-regional chip and technology component manufacturing.
North America posted a 7.0% export gain, while imports fell 10.7% as front-loading behaviors subsided. Middle East export volumes dropped 9.7% due to the ongoing conflict.
While container shipping index readings remained positive, economists warned that extended shipping disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz could temper regional trade performance into the second quarter.
Africa Merchandise Trade Performance (Q1 2026)
| Trade Metric | Performance / Growth Rate | Key Commodity & Market Drivers |
| Export Value (YoY) | +14.0% | Precious metals, copper, fertilizers, mineral ores, and energy products |
| Import Value (YoY) | +15.0% | Vehicles, industrial machinery, and ships |
| Export Volume (QoQ) | -2.5% | Seasonally adjusted volume contraction; expected to rebound in Q2 as fuel producers offset Middle East supply cuts |
| Cumulative Import Growth (Since 2023) | +25.0% | Highest cumulative import volume expansion globally |
Source: WTO
