In recent years, the Netherlands has continued to be a major open economy and global trading hub. In 2024 its exports and imports of goods and services together rose to around 159 % of GDP — substantially above the OECD average. Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek OECD Longreads - CBS

Key developments

• According to  Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the value of goods exported from the      Netherlands to Africa dropped by around 24 % in 2023 compared to 2022, falling to ~€17.1 billion. Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek

• The decline was largely driven by a steep fall (~51 %) in exports of mineral fuels   (petroleum products) to Africa. Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek

• On the import side,  data are less granular for Africa specifically, but the overall Dutch  goods imports charted a decline in value in 2023. Centraal Bureau voor de      Statistiek

Implications for trade with Africa (and East Africa)

• The drop in exports to Africa underscores how commodity‐price swings and sector‐specific dynamics (like fuel) can strongly affect bilateral trade.

• Because the Netherlands serves as a gateway for both re-exports and transit trade,  some of the Africa‐related flows may be under- or over-represented in      simple border-crossing statistics.

• For East Africa in particular, while the absolute values remain relatively modest compared to  large Dutch trade partners in Europe and Asia, the growth potential      remains significant.

Open questions and customer engagement

• Which product categories (beyond fuels) are driving import growth from Africa into the Netherlands?

• Are there structural shifts (for example towards agricultural/horticultural goods, processed goods) in Netherlands–Africa trade?

• How much of the Africa‐bound Dutch exports are final consumption goods vs intermediates and re-exports?

Your input:

Which African product sectors are you seeing increased demand for in the Netherlands? 

Please feel free to comment with your observations.