China grants Zero-Tariff access to 53 African nations, excluding only Eswatini

China officially scrapped all import tariffs for 53 African nations, granting them duty-free access for 100% of their product categories.

This landmark initiative expands upon a previous 2024 policy that applied only to 33 least-developed countries, now including major economies like Nigeria and South Africa.

The move is intended to boost African exports—particularly in agriculture and manufacturing—and diversify trade beyond raw materials to help narrow Africa’s massive trade deficit with Beijing.

Eswatini is the only African nation excluded from this agreement due to its ongoing diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

China adheres strictly to its “One China” policy and only extends these trade benefits to countries that maintain formal diplomatic relations with Beijing.

Analysts view the exclusion as a strategic move to exert pressure on Eswatini, the continent’s last official supporter of Taipei, by isolating it from one of the world’s largest consumer markets.

The implementation of the zero-tariff policy comes at a time of rising global protectionism, positioning China as a champion of multilateralism in contrast to recent U.S. trade shifts.

While the policy lowers costs for African businesses, experts note that structural challenges like poor infrastructure and limited industrial capacity remain the primary hurdles to increasing export volumes.

To support the transition, China has also signalled it will streamline customs and food safety procedures to make African products more competitive on its shelves.