In 2024, Asia and Europe together accounted for 63% of the world's copper export value

  • Asia leads global copper exports with 31.6% of total export value.
  • Europe follows closely at 31.4%, making the two regions nearly equal in contribution.
  • Combined, Asia and Europe control 63% of the global copper export market.
  • Africa ranks third globally, contributing 15.3% to copper exports.
  • Oceania plays the smallest role, with just 2% of the total export value.

In 2024, the global copper export market was dominated by Asia and Europe, which together accounted for nearly two-thirds (63%) of the world’s copper export value. Asia led with 31.6%, closely followed by Europe at 31.4%, showing how these two regions anchor the global trade. Africa emerged as the third-largest contributor with 15.3%, highlighting its growing role in a market long shaped by industrial powerhouses.

South America (11.1%) and North America (8.6%) also maintained significant positions in the copper export market, with Oceania contributing a relatively small share of 2%. While their portions may be smaller compared to Asia and Europe, they still play critical roles in diversifying global supply.

Source:

International Trade Centre

Period:

2024
HTML code to embed chart
Want a bespoke report?
Reach out
Click to copy HTML embed code
Tags
Related Insights
Nigeria's exports to South Africa have far exceeded imports since 2002
  • Nigeria has exported more to South Africa than it has imported every year since 2002.
  • Exports peaked at $6.29 billion in 2014, driven almost entirely by mineral fuels.
  • Imports from South Africa have remained below $1 billion annually.
  • Nigeria recorded a $1.27 billion trade surplus with South Africa in 2025.
  • Mineral fuels made up over 95% of Nigeria's exports throughout 1995-2025.
Morocco nearly matched South Africa in Africa’s vehicle import market in 2025
  • South Africa led with $8.52 billion, only $140 million ahead of Morocco.
  • Morocco’s imports have grown steadily, while South Africa’s 2025 figure was a recovery toward its 2012 peak.
  • Egypt ranked third, followed by Algeria and Nigeria.
  • The top 10 markets accounted for 67.1% of Africa’s $56.48 billion total.
  • Road vehicle imports include vehicles, parts, motorcycles, trailers, and semi-trailers.
Africa’s merchandise exports to China in 2025
  • Africa exported a record $86.2bn worth of goods to China in 2025.
  • China received about 12.5% of Africa’s total merchandise exports.
  • Annual exports remained below $10bn until 2004, before accelerating sharply.
  • Export values have remained relatively high since 2021 despite earlier downturns.
  • The trade relationship remains heavily commodity-led, with limited manufactured exports.
Africa’s export map changed, but only three economies escaped heavy reliance on one buyer
  • Only 3 of 52 African economies met the export-market diversification test in 2025.
  • Nigeria recorded the largest and most sustained shift, with its top-buyer share falling from 43.1% to 9.9%.
  • Madagascar’s top-market share dropped from 40.0% to 14.9% and has remained below 20% since 2021.
  • Libya narrowly qualified at 19.5%, after remaining above the threshold in 2024.
  • The test measures reduced dependence on one export destination, not greater product diversification.
South Africa, Egypt and Morocco accounted for nearly 40% ($313b) of Africa’s merchandise imports in 2025
  • Africa imported merchandise worth $788.9 billion in 2025, representing about 3% of global merchandise imports.
  • South Africa was Africa’s largest merchandise importer, with imports valued at $128.1 billion.
  • Egypt ranked second at $97.5 billion, followed by Morocco at $87.4 billion.
  • The three largest importers accounted for $313 billion, or 39.7% of Africa’s total merchandise imports.
  • South Africa alone accounted for about 16.2% of the continental total.
  • The five largest importers, including Algeria and Nigeria, were responsible for $404.6 billion, or 51.3% of Africa’s imports.
  • Nigeria ranked fifth, with merchandise imports valued at $41.5 billion.
Africa has never sold more than 20% of its goods exports within the continent in three decades
  • Only 16.9% of Africa’s merchandise exports were sold to other African countries in 2024.
  • Africa had the second-lowest intra-continental export share, ahead only of Oceania’s 4.8%.
  • Europe recorded the highest share at 65.6%, followed by Asia at 58.4% and the Americas at 54.0%.
  • Europe’s intra-continental export share was nearly four times Africa’s.
  • Africa’s share increased from 12.1% in 1995 to 16.9% in 2024, a rise of 4.8 percentage points.
  • Despite this long-term improvement, Africa remained below its 2015 peak of 18.8%.
  • Africa has not crossed the 20% mark at any point in the three decades covered.
POPULAR TOPICS
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Get periodic updates about the African startup space, access to our reports, among others.
Subscribe Here
Subscription Form
A product of Techpoint Africa. All rights reserved