Kuueza Korner – Week 61

Insight: Regional exports and global demand are shifting; here’s what matters this week.

• The East African Community (EAC) posted a USD 0.8 billion trade surplus in Q1 2025, as exports surged by 47.3% compared to the same period last year. Domestic exports alone grew by 48.1%. eac.int

• Despite strong demand for African-made beauty and skincare products, the continent’s exports of beauty, make-up and skincare preparations fell to 180 000 tons in 2024, a drop of around 22% from the prior year. IndexBox+2IndexBox+2

• Exporter performance varies widely: for example, in cosmetics in 2024, Côte d’Ivoire alone governed about 46% of total African exports in this category (≈ 84 000 tons). IndexBox+1

 What this means for Kuueza merchants:

• Growing intra-African trade and value-added production are presenting fresh opportunities: the EAC’s export boom signals that African manufacturing and processing are gaining traction.

• The dip in cosmetics/skincare exports shows the importance of strong branding, export packaging and targeting higher-value markets, there’s demand, but competition and quality standards are rising.

• For merchants using Kuueza: emphasise value-added products, export-ready presentation, and explore regional as well as global markets; the trade landscape is opening for well-prepared goods.