Africa's food import dependency varies dramatically across the continent, ranging from less than 1% in Malawi to over 150% in Djibouti. This map reveals clear geographic patterns: East African agricultural powerhouses like Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda maintain high self-sufficiency, while small island nations and desert economies depend heavily on imports. North African countries show moderate dependency (25-40%), balancing domestic wheat/vegetable production with imports of other staples. The Sahel region presents a mixed picture - countries like Niger and Burkina Faso maintain lower dependency despite challenging climates, while coastal West African nations show higher import reliance.
Critically, this aggregate view masks important category-specific vulnerabilities. Even highly self-sufficient countries depend on imports for wheat (which doesn't grow in tropical climates), vegetable oils, and sugar - creating exposure to global commodity price shocks despite overall food security.
Data Table
Country | % Import Dependency | Dependency |
AFRICA TOTAL | 19% | Moderate |
Djibouti | 136% | Extreme |
Seychelles | 121% | Extreme |
Botswana | 101% | Extreme |
Cabo Verde | 90% | Very High |
Gambia | 86% | Very High |
Lesotho | 72% | Very High |
Mauritania | 72% | Very High |
Namibia | 72% | Very High |
Liberia | 64% | High |
Libya | 61% | High |
Comoros | 56% | High |
Morocco | 51% | High |
Algeria | 46% | High |
Tunisia | 45% | High |
Mauritius | 45% | High |
Senegal | 40% | Moderate |
Sao Tome and Principe | 38% | Moderate |
Guinea-Bissau | 34% | Moderate |
Congo | 34% | Moderate |
Gabon | 33% | Moderate |
Egypt | 25% | Moderate |
Kenya | 24% | Moderate |
Burkina Faso | 23% | Moderate |
Mozambique | 22% | Moderate |
Côte d'Ivoire | 21% | Moderate |
South Africa | 21% | Moderate |
Sierra Leone | 20% | Moderate |
Guinea | 19% | Moderate |
Zimbabwe | 17% | Moderate |
Rwanda | 15% | Moderate |
Eswatini | 14% | Moderate |
Niger | 13% | Moderate |
Cameroon | 13% | Moderate |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | 12% | Moderate |
Angola | 11% | Moderate |
Madagascar | 10% | Low |
Ghana | 10% | Low |
Uganda | 9% | Low |
United Republic of Tanzania | 8% | Low |
Nigeria | 6% | Low |
Ethiopia | 5% | Low |
Zambia | 4% | Low |
Malawi | 1% | Low |
For full data set, email us at: contact@lesafricanistes.com
SOURCES & METHODOLOGY:
Primary Data Source: FAO FAOSTAT Food Balances (2010-), Reference Year 2023 URL: https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/FBS
Our Analysis Methodology: Import dependency calculated as: (Total Food Imports / Total Domestic Food Supply) × 100
We analyzed 29 food categories including: cereals, starchy roots, sugar & sweeteners, pulses, treenuts, oilcrops, vegetable oils, vegetables, fruits, stimulants, spices, meat, offals, animal fats, eggs, milk, fish & seafood, and aquatic products. The overall import dependency is volume-weighted across all categories - not a simple average - meaning countries that produce large quantities of staple foods will show lower overall dependency even if they import significant amounts of other categories.
FAO Methodology: FAO constructs Food Balance Sheets using a standardized framework that tracks food from production through consumption. Data sources include national statistics offices, FAO annual production/utilization questionnaires, UN COMTRADE trade data, customs offices, and specialized commodity organizations. When primary data is unavailable, FAO uses statistical estimation methods including time-series models, mirror trade statistics, and expert-informed imputation. All data points are flagged as either "Official" (A), "Estimated" (E), or "Imputed" (I) to indicate quality and methodology.
Approximately 73% of values in the 2023 dataset are estimated and 27% are imputed using FAO's internationally-recognized methodology. The balancing equation ensures consistency: Production + Imports - Exports ± Stock Changes = Domestic Supply.
For detailed FAO methodology, see:
FAO Statistical Development Series 20: Food Balance Sheets Handbook
Guidelines for the Compilation of Food Balance Sheets (Global Strategy 2017)
LIMITATIONS:
Data Coverage: Analysis covers 43 of 54 African countries (80%). Missing countries include: Benin, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Togo. These countries either lack recent data submissions to FAO or were not included in the specific 2023 data extract used for this analysis.
Estimation Dependency: Data represents FAO's best estimates using statistical models rather than direct census measurements in many cases. Data quality varies by country based on national statistical capacity.
Aggregate Masking: Overall percentages hide critical category-specific dependencies. A country with 10% overall dependency might still import 100% of its wheat or vegetable oils, creating vulnerability to specific commodity price shocks.
Informal Trade: Cross-border informal food trade is not captured in official statistics, potentially understating actual food availability in border regions.
Temporal Lag: 2023 data represents the most recent available but may still be preliminary. FAO typically releases final validated data 18-24 months after the reference year.
Urban-Rural Differences: National aggregates do not reflect significant differences between urban food import dependency and rural self-sufficiency within countries.
Re-export Economies: Countries showing >100% dependency (like Djibouti at 157%) are often regional trade hubs that import food for re-export, not just domestic consumption.
Despite these limitations, FAO Food Balance Sheets remain the most comprehensive and internationally comparable dataset for food security analysis, used by the World Bank, UN agencies, governments, and researchers globally.
Analysis Date: December 2025 Data Reference Year: 2023 Analyst: Les Africanistes