East African Trade Surges to $52.3 Billion as Exports Push Region Into Surplus

Trade across the East African Community reached $52.3 billion in the second quarter of 2026, as faster export growth pushed the region into a modest trade surplus and strengthened commercial links with African and global markets.

According to the EAC Quarterly Statistics Bulletin for April to June 2026, total trade increased 37% from $38.2 billion in the corresponding quarter of 2025. Exports rose 41.3% to $26.3 billion, while imports increased 32.9% to $26 billion.

The result was a $300 million regional trade surplus, compared with a $945.3 million deficit a year earlier.

African markets gain importance

African markets accounted for a growing share of the region’s export expansion. EAC exports to African countries increased 44.3% to $7.2 billion, representing 27.5% of total exports. Exports to the Southern African Development Community rose 50.8% to $5.1 billion, while exports to COMESA markets increased 48.3% to $3.1 billion.

Trade within the EAC also expanded. Intra-EAC exports rose 33.2% to $3.2 billion. However, their share of total EAC exports declined from 12.8% to 12.1%, reflecting even faster growth in exports to markets outside the bloc.

Minerals continue to drive exports

China remained the EAC’s largest individual export destination and source of imports. Exports to China rose from $5.7 billion in the second quarter of 2025 to $10.7 billion in the same period of 2026, driven largely by mineral commodities and other raw materials. Imports from China increased from $4.7 billion to $7.1 billion.

The composition of exports remains an important qualification to the region’s headline trade growth. Copper and precious metals accounted for 61.9% of total exports, up from 58.7% a year earlier, underscoring the EAC’s continuing dependence on mineral export earnings. Coffee, tea and spices remained important agricultural exports.

Regional integration and value addition

The figures point to growing commercial integration within Africa, but they also highlight the challenge of increasing value addition. While intra-regional trade and exports to African markets are expanding, raw materials continue to dominate the EAC’s export basket.

The EAC Secretariat compiles the quarterly bulletin with national statistics offices and central banks across its partner states.

Source

East African Community: EAC Trade Reaches USD 52.3 Billion as Exports Drive Surplus in Q2 2026