This map shows total mineral exports across all 54 African countries in 2024: from oil and gas to precious metals, copper, iron, and rare earths.
Africa's Top 5 Mineral Exporters:
🥇 South Africa - $62.8B Platinum, gold, diamonds, coal, iron & steel
🥈 DR Congo - $49.4B Copper & cobalt (60% of global cobalt supply)
🥉 Nigeria - $48.7B Oil & gas
4️⃣ Algeria - $45.7B Oil & gas (+ growing steel sector)
5️⃣ Angola - $35.9B Oil & gas
Key Figures:
Total Africa mineral exports: $422 Billion in 2024
Top 5 countries account for $242 Billion (58% of Africa's total)
Top 10 countries control 78% of exports
Two distinct models emerge: energy giants (Nigeria, Algeria, Angola) vs. diversified mining powers (South Africa, DR Congo).
Methodology: All figures are 2024 export values from TradeMap (ITC). Includes HS Codes 25-28, 71-76, 78-83 (14 mineral categories)
Data Table
Country | Mineral Exports Across Africa in Billions USD (2024) |
South Africa | 62.76 |
DR Congo | 49.37 |
Nigeria | 48.71 |
Algeria | 45.67 |
Angola | 35.93 |
Libya | 29.76 |
Zambia | 17.01 |
Egypt | 16.99 |
Ghana | 11.33 |
Congo | 9.88 |
Guinea | 8.94 |
Gabon | 7.02 |
Mozambique | 6.94 |
Côte d'Ivoire | 6.52 |
Zimbabwe | 5.62 |
Morocco | 4.93 |
Namibia | 4.83 |
Burkina Faso | 4.81 |
Tanzania | 4.54 |
Senegal | 4.33 |
Equatorial Guinea | 4.21 |
Cameroon | 3.97 |
Uganda | 3.96 |
Botswana | 3.43 |
Chad | 3.21 |
Mauritania | 3.06 |
Tunisia | 2.52 |
Kenya | 2.1 |
Liberia | 1.35 |
Sierra Leone | 1.25 |
Madagascar | 1.01 |
Niger | 0.9 |
Mali | 0.89 |
Sudan | 0.77 |
Eritrea | 0.54 |
South Sudan | 0.49 |
Togo | 0.44 |
Seychelles | 0.31 |
Rwanda | 0.29 |
Lesotho | 0.24 |
Mauritius | 0.14 |
Ethiopia | 0.13 |
Eswatini | 0.12 |
Benin | 0.1 |
Burundi | 0.07 |
Central African Republic | 0.07 |
Djibouti | 0.06 |
Somalia | 0.02 |
Gambia | 0.02 |
Malawi | 0.01 |
Sao Tome and Principe | 0.01 |
Comoros | 0 |
Guinea-Bissau | 0 |
Data Source:
Source: TradeMap ITC Database (2024)
Metric: Export values in USD billions
Coverage: All 54 African countries
HS Codes Included:
HS 27: Mineral Fuels (Oil, Gas, Coal)
HS 71: Precious Stones & Metals (Gold, Diamonds, Platinum)
HS 26: Ores, Slag & Ash (Bauxite, Iron Ore, Manganese)
HS 74: Copper & Articles
HS 72: Iron & Steel
HS 76: Aluminum & Articles
HS 28: Inorganic Chemicals & Rare Earths
HS 81: Other Base Metals (including Cobalt)
HS 75: Nickel & Articles
HS 79: Zinc & Articles
HS 78: Lead & Articles
HS 80: Tin & Articles
HS 25: Salt, Sulfur, Stone, Cement
HS 73, 82, 83: Iron/Steel Articles, Tools, Misc. Metal Articles
What's included:
All mineral and metal exports from African countries in 2024, including energy minerals (oil, gas, coal), precious metals (gold, diamonds, platinum), industrial metals (copper, iron, aluminum), battery metals (cobalt, nickel), and rare earths.
How it's calculated: TradeMap aggregates official export statistics reported by national customs authorities and international organizations. Values represent FOB (Free on Board) exports in current USD.
What's excluded: Processed/manufactured goods beyond basic mineral articles, re-exports, unofficial/informal mining exports.
Important Limitations of Data Used in Our Analysis:
Export Values vs. Actual Production
Data shows exports, not total production
Some countries consume minerals domestically
Informal/artisanal mining not fully captured
Price Fluctuations
2024 values reflect that year's commodity prices
Oil price changes significantly impact rankings
Copper, gold prices also volatile
Data Quality Varies by Country
Strong reporting: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco
Weaker reporting: Some smaller/conflict-affected countries
DRC cobalt exports may be underreported due to informal sector
Different Economic Models
Oil exporters vs. hard rock miners not distinguished in total
See Map 2 for non-oil breakdown
Missing Nuance
Doesn't show value addition/processing
Doesn't reflect employment or local economic impact
Raw export values don't show profit margins or government revenue