Russia is setting its sights on Africa as a major growth market, aiming to nearly double trade with the continent by 2030. With Africa’s population expected to reach 1.7 billion by the end of the decade, the region presents huge economic and demographic opportunities. Today, Russian exports focus on food and energy, helping address urgent needs, but the country plans to expand into machinery, industrial goods, technology, and expertise in areas like agriculture, energy, and digital solutions.
Over the next few years, Moscow intends to support Africa’s food industrialization, balance trade, strengthen infrastructure for logistics and payments, and expand investment projects—particularly in mineral exploration and production—while building deeper and more diverse partnerships across the continent.
African Currents interviewed Chloé Maluleke, Associate and Russia & Middle Eastern Specialist at BRICS+ Consulting Group in Cape Town, South Africa, to explore the motivations behind this move, identify the sectors poised to benefit most, and examine the role of agriculture and food in shaping Russia-Africa trade relations.
"I think Russia's push to increase trade with African countries is very multifaceted, stretching from geopolitical to commercial to practical reasons. If you look at the practical aspect, Africa is a big market. We have over a billion people on the continent, $3 trillion in GDP as a continent, and a young demographic. We have a very youthful population. So, that in itself just shows that there's a huge value of market and availability in terms of opportunities for different sectors to accelerate growth within the continent. Another aspect is geopolitically, Russia has always been a champion for multipolarity. And if we're looking at the doctrine of multipolarity, especially in trade, you have to engage with different continents with different countries on an equal partnership level. And Russia has always had a footprint within the African continent," Maluleke said.
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