Egypt exports to Africa $1.253bn in 2016, $1.043bn in imports

Hossam Mounir
3 Min Read
Egypt depends on the Suez Canal as a major source of foreign currency, dollars, besides remittances from Egyptians abroad, and Egyptian exports and tourism revenues. (Photo courtesy of Suez Canal Authority)

The total value of Egyptian exports to African countries during 2016 amounted to $1.253bn, accounting for 5.6% of total Egyptian exports to the world that reached $22.501bn in the same year, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS).

In a recent report on the occasion of African Statistics Day, the agency pointed out that the total value of Egypt’s imports from African countries amounted to $1.043bn in 2016, which accounts for 1.5% of total Egyptian imports, which reached $71.356bn.

CAPMAS stated that four countries accounted for 54.9% of Egypt’s exports to Africa, namely Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Nigeria.

It explained that Egyptian exports to Kenya reached $264.4m (21.1% of exports to Africa), noting that sugar, and its derivates, exported to Kenya equalled $78.2m, while paper and paper products exported to Kenya reached $26.3m.

Moreover, CAPMAS said that exports to South Africa were valued at $226.3m, which accounts for 18% of total exports to Africa. The value of gold exports to South Africa reached $162.1m and $20.4m in broadcast receivers was exported.

The value of Egyptian exports to Ethiopia reached $106.2m (8.5% of exports to Africa), including $14.3m worth of essential oils and $12.1m of plastics.

Meanwhile, the value of Egyptian exports to Nigeria reached $90.6m (7.3% of exports to Africa), including $26.8m worth of sanitary pads and $14m worth of jet fuel.

Further, CAPMAS said that four countries accounted for 86.8% of Egyptian imports from Africa, noting that imports from Nigeria were worth $331.6m, accounting for 31.8% of imports from Africa.

Natural gas was the top good imported by Egypt from Nigeria, which was worth $324.5m.

In addition, Egyptian imports from Kenya reached $306.8m (29.4% of imports from Africa), including tea worth $280.1m and tobacco worth $9.9m.

Imports from Zambia amounted to $135.4m (12.9% of total imports from African countries), including copper worth $135.3m.

The value of imports from South Africa reached $131.5m, which accounts for 12.7% of imports from Africa. Egypt imported coal worth $77.1m and iron ore worth $14m from that country.

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