Africa’s trade deficit with China expanded by 34.48% year-on-year to $80.07 billion between January and August 2026, even as Beijing extended zero-tariff access to more African nations. Chinese exports to the continent rose 25.8% to $177 billion, while African exports to China grew 19% to $96.93 billion, pushing total trade to $273.94 billion. Analysts attribute the widening deficit to Western trade barriers and Chinese industrial overcapacity redirecting exports toward markets in the Global South, including Africa. Still, the imbalance reflects the structure of trade between both sides: African economies largely export minerals, hydrocarbons, and agricultural commodities, while China supplies manufactured goods, machinery, electronics, and infrastructure-related technologies. China’s expansion of zero-tariff access to most African trading partners has boosted opportunities; however, it has yet to narrow the trade imbalance. Afreximbank has urged African countries to build regional value chains, improve processing capacity, and strengthen infrastructure and trade financing to capture more value from the relationship.