Exports to West
Africa are
growing, while
imports are
dropping according to the
latest figures published by
the Department of Trade
and Industry (dti).
As of April this year the
majority of West African
states had increased in
importance as export
destinations.
The total value of trade
between South Africa and
the region was around
R48 856 million.
Nigeria is South
Africa’s biggest African
trade partner, with trade
totalling R36 850m – or
more than three times the
R12 006m of the other
main trading partners in
West Africa.
While Nigeria’s figures
are skewed by oil imports,
it is also the biggest export
market by far – goods and
services worth R6 422
million were sold into the
market in 2016.
By April this year
exports totalled R1 630m,
making the country the
12th-biggest export market
in Africa.
Botswana is the biggest
(R54 566m in 2016)
followed by Namibia,
Mozambique, Zimbabwe
and Zambia.
In West Africa there
have been some significant
swings – Togo, for example,
dropped from being the
13th biggest exporter to
South Africa to 41st.
Burkina Faso, on the
other hand, rose from
42nd to 29th as an African
exporter. The country
exports gold, cotton,
livestock and sesame seeds.
South Africa’s biggest
competitor in the region
is the European Union
(EU), which has initialled
an Economic Partnership
Agreement with 16
West African states, the
Economic Community
of West African States
(Ecowas) and the West
African Economic
and Monetary Union
(WAEMU), according to
the European Commission.
West Africa is the EU’s
largest trading partner in
sub-Saharan Africa, and
the EU is West Africa’s
biggest trading partner.
The EU supplies a large
part of the equipment that
contributes to economic
growth and development in
the region and is the main
export market for West
African agricultural and
fisheries products.
The Ivory Coast, Ghana
and Nigeria account for 80%
of West Africa’s exports to
the EU.
EU – West Africa trade
in services is expanding,
covering notably
transportation and logistics,
travel, and business services.
West Africa is also the
most important investment
destination for the EU in
Africa, according to the
European Commission.
