Dubai has established itself as a significant provider of commodities and consumer goods to Africa. With the arrival of African bulk customers during the last decade, shipping companies running the Dubai-Africa route have seen a welcome increase in business. Nigeria, Mauritania, Senegal, Gabon, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast are among the top destinations for UAE exports in West Africa, while Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya are among the top destinations in East Africa. For a 20-foot container with a capacity of 21 tonnes, freight charges to Africa are approximately USD 2,200 to USD 2,600. Current prices for a 40-foot container with a capacity of 26.5 tonnes range from USD 4,900 to USD 5,600.
In recent years, several economic sectors in Dubai have seen significant growth in demand from African countries. A rising number of African customers are flocking to Dubai to acquire a wide range of items and establish direct relationships with UAE suppliers and manufacturers.
Dubai's trade with Africa, which is valued at USD 45 billion, has expanded beyond traditional African trading partners such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda to include new and growing markets such as Nigeria, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Mozambique, Tanzania, Eritrea, and Ghana. Exports from Dubai to Africa account for 10% of the emirates entire commerce, according to recent research performed by Africa Business Pages. Africa has been the main export market for Dubai wholesalers of consumer goods and IT equipment in recent years.
Dubai's trade connections with Africa date back decades, as the emirate traded with a number of African countries even before oil, was discovered and the UAE Federation was formed. Traditional trading partners in those historic days employed dhows, and Arab traders controlled commerce with the ports of Zanzibar, Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania. Since ancient times, Somali cattle have been transported into Gulf nations. As a result, there is a long and distinguished history of commerce between Africa and Dubai.
Many African countries' new and liberal economic policies have drawn foreign investment in industrial and manufacturing projects, primarily in the many Export Processing Zones (EPZs) that have sprung up in recent years in countries such as Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. This has led to increased demand for capital goods, machinery, and raw materials, which many Dubai-based businesses are able to meet. Statistics show that Africa's rising demand for commodities is evident.
The improved economic and political circumstances in many East African nations have given the ordinary African more purchasing power, which has raised the demand for consumer products.
Although Dubai has always had ties with East Africa, the increase in the number of African travelers is a new phenomenon. According to available statistics, the number of tourists from African nations has increased from 6,954 in 1984 to over 100,000 currently. Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Cameroon, and South Africa provided the majority of the participants.