Africa has taken the lead as the fastest‑growing region in global container trade. It recorded the highest year‑on‑year growth in both imports and exports across all major regions in January, according to data from Container Trade Statistics (CTS). The figures showed the region accounted for the four highest growth tradelanes based on cargo loaded in that month.

CTS wrote that Sub-Saharan Africa recorded a 13% increase in global imports compared with January 2025, with cargo originating in the Far East being the primary driver of growth. “Sub‑Saharan Africa in particular became a focal point last year, showing significant growth despite challenging market conditions,” CTS noted in its press release. It also noted that shipments from Europe into Africa declined by more than 10% compared with the same period of 2025.

in terms of exports, the region posted an even stronger performance, with exports up 16%, making Sub‑Saharan Africa the global leader in year‑over‑year export growth. Other high‑growth regions such as the Far East, Indian Sub‑Continent, and Middle East; recorded export increases of 6% and 10%, respectively.

Supporting this demand, capacity on Asia–Africa tradelanes has expanded significantly because of the deployment of larger vessels on the routes and increasing frequency of operation. According to Alphaliner, the Asia–West Africa corridor remains one of the fastest‑growing corridors. The average size of vessels increased by 4.5% while the number of ships operating on the route increased approximately 34% in January 2026, compared to a year ago.

This growth has been supported significantly by MSC, which has strategically redeployed some of its larger vessels from Asia–Europe routes to serve the rapidly expanding Asia–West Africa market. Reporting from Splash247 noted that MSC’s redeployment contributed to a 28% increase in average ship size on the corridor, pushing West Africa into Alphaliner’s list of top ten trading routes by vessel size.

In a further indication of its long-term commitment to the region, the MSC Group recently secured a 45‑year concession to develop a 30‑hectare, $1+ billion container terminal at Snake Island Port in Lagos. In its announcement, MSC highlighted its confidence in Nigeria’s rising importance as a major shipping hub. The terminal is slated for completion by 2028.

According to the United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 report released in January 2026, Africa’s economic growth is projected to reach 4% in 2026 and 4.1% in 2027, rising from 3.5% in 2024 and 3.9% in 2025.

Source: Container Trade Statistics, Alphaliner, splash247, MSC, United Nations