China-Africa trade reaches US$312.112 billion in January to September 2026, up 22.3%

China-Africa trade reached US$312.112 billion in January to September 2026, up 22.3% on a year earlier. China sold US$202.977 billion to Africa and bought US$109.135 billion, so the gap is about US$93.8 billion. Nine months of 2026 are already about 90% of the full-year 2025 total.

For: ImportersSmall businesses

What changed

China's customs authority (GACC) released the January to September figures on October 18, 2026, and China's commerce ministry (MOFCOM) repeated them on October 20. Total China-Africa trade was US$312.112 billion, up 22.3%. In yuan, China's imports from Africa were 867.53 billion yuan, up 15.3%, per People's Daily on October 21.

Source: GACC figures as reported by 10jqka and People's Daily. The gap is exports minus imports, rounded.

Two country-level data points from earlier reports: China's exports to Nigeria were a record US$24.9 billion in 2025, up from US$18.9 billion in 2024. Nigeria's trade minister said Nigeria-China trade was US$18 billion in the first half of 2026, up 35%, with Nigerian exports to China up 80%.

What it means for your business

Africa buys nearly twice as much from China as it sells there, and the buying side is growing faster (24.5% against 18.5%). For small traders in Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon and the DRC, that means more Chinese goods chasing the same customers. Expect more competition on common lines, because more of your rivals can also buy from China. Whether this brings local-content pressure from your own government is not confirmed in these figures, so watch for rule changes at your port.

For African exporters, the other side is the opening: China's zero-tariff treatment now covers 33 African least developed countries (since December 1, 2024) and 20 other African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon, from May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2028. China's import VAT still applies (13% standard, 9% on many farm goods). Africa sold US$109.135 billion in nine months, and the gap shows there is room for more.

Who is affected

• Small traders who buy from Yiwu, Guangzhou or Shenzhen and resell in West and Central Africa.
• African exporters of cashew, sesame, ginger, pepper, cocoa, coffee and other farm goods selling to China.
• Traders who watch their margins: more supply from China usually means more price pressure at home.

What to do now

1. Check your product lines against what your competitors can now import. If a line is easy to copy, compete on speed, quality or after-sales, not on price alone.
2. Exporters: read our guide to exporting to China at zero tariff and confirm your product has the certificate of origin and any food registration it needs.
3. Importers: price every order with duty and levies using the Africa import duty calculator.
4. Need a verified supplier? Send a sourcing request.

General information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules change often: check the official sources above or a licensed customs broker before you act. SuanSupply is not affiliated with any government agency or marketplace named here.