Türkiye's shipments to African countries neared $20 billion in 2024, according to official data, as the nation added further momentum to its growing engagement with the continent.
Exports to African nations rose 1.7% year-over-year to $19.4 billion last year, according to data compiled from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM).
In 2003, Türkiye adopted a strategy for the development of commercial and economic relations with African countries to promote trade, investments, technology transfer, exchange of know-how, and technical assistance with the continent, leading to numerous projects and collaborations.
Türkiye last year exported to 56 African countries, accounting for 7.4% of the country’s total exports. Egypt got the largest exports by value with $3.5 billion, followed by Morocco with $3.1 billion, and Libya with $2.5 billion.
The sector with the most exports was chemicals and chemical products with $3.1 billion, followed by grains, pulses, oilseeds, and their products with $2.5 billion, steel with $2 billion, auto industry products with $1.4 billion, and electricity and electronics sectors’ products with $1.3 billion.
Exports of machinery and components amounted to $1.3 billion, the textile products and raw materials sector $1.3 billion, and ferrous and non-ferrous metals $912.7 million.
Normalization moves in Turkish-Egyptian relations bore fruit, as meetings between the two countries’ presidents led to a 21.8% jump in exports to Egypt.
Exports to Ghana also rose 49.6% on an annual basis, with exports to Nigeria up 9.1%, to Libya 8.4%, and to Morocco 6.9%.
Having made over 50 visits to around 30 African countries since he became prime minister in 2003, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly vowed Türkiye's eagerness to advance its cooperation with Africa based on "equal partnership and a win-win principle."
The government's priority to engage with Africa has helped facilitate the growth of business and trade relations. It came with a strong commitment focused on direct aid, infrastructure, transportation projects and mutually beneficial economic partnerships.
