A new era of US bilateral trade tariffs is forcing African economies to rethink their export mix and investment strategy, as the continent’s trade with America lags far behind its potential.
Latest trade data shows Africa’s goods exports to the U.S. are worth about $34 billion, barely 1.2 percent of total U.S. imports and a fraction of Washington’s $3.2 trillion global trade volume. This limited exposure reveals Africa is not a major player in the tariff standoff, and it also reflects underutilised market opportunities.
Akinwunmi Adesina, outgoing president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), said Africa should avoid a confrontation and instead position itself as a more attractive trade partner. “Africa, therefore, should not get into a tariff war with the US. What is needed is more trade with Africa from the US.”
He made this statement recently at the 2025 Standard Chartered Bank Africa Summit in Lagos.
“The US should take advantage of the enormous opportunities for investing in Africa, including in infrastructure, energy, rails, ports, transport corridors, agriculture, and processing and adding value to critical minerals and rare earth elements,” Adesina added.
The emerging consensus in economic policy circles is that African countries must pivot from aid dependence towards investment-led growth. Adesina stressed that “benevolence is not an asset class” and that countries can no longer rely on donor inflows as part of government revenue.
That shift would require transparent pricing and royalties for natural resource extraction, reducing capital leakages from corruption and illicit flows, and lowering the cost of doing business through regulatory efficiency and legal predictability. It would also mean building capacity to structure investments into critical national assets in ways that unlock value for both domestic and foreign investors.
While South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana account for a large share of African exports to the US., Nigeria’s direct sales remain limited, dominated by crude oil shipments. Oil is largely exempt from the recent tariff changes, shielding Nigeria from immediate impacts, but the long-term risk lies in continued dependence on a single commodity. Unless Nigeria diversifies into value-added manufacturing and high-growth agricultural exports, it will remain on the periphery of US. trade priorities.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is also seen as a critical tool to mitigate external tariff shocks. By boosting intra-African supply chains and consolidating exports under a common external tariff, the agreement could help the continent negotiate better access to large markets like the US.
Adesina added that “Africa must end the exports of its raw materials” by focusing on local production, value addition, and regional trade.
Market analysts say the recalibration of US trade policy could favour African economies that can position themselves as competitive suppliers in targeted value chains. This would require transparent pricing for natural resources, enforcing royalties and tax compliance, improving ease of doing business, and building capacity to structure investments into commercially viable assets.
For companies, the tariff environment could accelerate shifts in supply chain strategies, prompting exporters to diversify beyond commodities into processed goods and specialised manufacturing. Infrastructure developers, logistics operators, and agri-processing firms could gain from U.S. investors seeking alternatives to Asia in sensitive sectors.
The real test will be whether African economies move decisively to claim a stronger position in one of the world’s largest consumer markets or allow another decade of underperformance to pass.