In addition to being a major economic force, intra-African trade is essential to the expansion and stability of the continent. Trade between African countries contributes to political stability, peace, and security. Intra-African trade has the potential to significantly close Africa’s economic disparity with the rest of the globe and increase interdependence within the continent.
Intracontinental trade within Africa continues to boost cooperation between African nations, which results in the creation of common infrastructure, standardization of laws, and the elimination of trade barriers.
Growth within the continent, to some degree depends on this form of trade, which has so far been instrumental in integrating the continent.
This is where initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), comes in.
Notwithstanding a global economic slowdown and significant challenges faced by several African nations, intra-African trade demonstrated remarkable resilience.
The report also highlights that Africa’s share of intra-continental trade rose to 14.9% in 2023, up from 13.6% in 2022. This positive trend is a testament to the collective efforts of African nations, particularly through the ongoing implementation of the AfCFTA, to promote trade within the continent.
Despite the overall growth rate, some countries on the continent had less to trade with other countries and by extension made less money from trading within Africa than some other African countries.
With that said, below are the 10 African countries with the lowest intra-African export revenue.
10 African countries with the lowest exports to other African countries
| Rank | Country | Intra African exports (in US$ billion) | Growth rate (%) | Country share of total intra-African exports (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
Cabo Verde |
0.00 |
-58.53 |
0.00 |
|
2. |
South Sudan |
0.00 |
157.06 |
0.00 |
|
3. |
CAR |
0.01 |
-12.23 |
0.01 |
|
4. |
Chad |
0.01 |
28.94 |
0.01 |
|
5. |
Comoros |
0.01 |
-1.31 |
0.01 |
|
6. |
Liberia |
0.02 |
837.61 |
0.02 |
|
7. |
Guinea Bissau |
0.03 |
153.94 |
0.03 |
|
8 |
Seychelles |
0.03 |
6.75 |
0.03 |
|
9. |
Somalia |
0.03 |
-17.84 |
0.04 |
|
10. |
Gambia |
0.04 |
25.36 |
0.04 |
