Africa’s coffee exports rose to a record 1.18 million tonnes in 2025, driven largely by strong shipments from Ethiopia and Uganda, according to a report by the International Coffee Organization.
The two East African producers accounted for nearly 80 percent of the continent’s exports, underscoring Africa’s growing role in global coffee markets. Ethiopia’s shipments jumped 27.3 percent to 442,200 tonnes, while Uganda’s exports surged 29.6 percent to 495,600 tonnes, the report said.
Ethiopia’s performance was supported by strong harvests, policy reforms that improved access for exporters, high international prices and the release of large inventories, the ICO said. Strategic engagement with key markets such as Germany, the United States and Saudi Arabia also boosted sales, while China’s zero-tariff policy for Ethiopian coffee helped expand exports to Asia.
Uganda, Africa’s top coffee exporter, benefited from favourable weather, higher yields and sustained demand from traditional markets in Europe, according to industry data.
Africa’s strong showing contrasted sharply with global trends, as world coffee exports fell by 0.3 percent in 2025, largely due to weaker output in South America. Supply disruptions and climate-related challenges in major producing countries weighed on global shipments, the ICO noted.
African producers currently account for about 11.6 percent of global coffee exports, but have set an ambitious target of lifting their share to 20 percent by 2030. Several countries are rolling out initiatives to expand production, improve quality and modernise marketing and auction systems.
In East Africa, reforms are under way in Kenya and Tanzania to boost output and improve price discovery, while investments in processing and logistics aim to help producers capture more value along the supply chain.
Rising global prices have also supported export revenues. ICO data showed Arabica coffee prices surged 51 percent over the year, closing at US$8.26 per kilogram on September 30, 2025, reflecting tight global supplies and robust demand.
At the national level, governments are advancing expansion strategies to capitalise on the favourable market environment. In April 2025, Tanzania, Africa’s third-largest coffee exporter after Uganda and Ethiopia, announced plans to develop a strategy to quadruple coffee production by 2030.
Analysts say sustained growth in African coffee exports will depend on addressing structural challenges, including climate risks, access to finance and productivity gaps, even as demand for high-quality Arabica beans continues to rise globally.
Background to Africa’s Coffee export
Africa is a relatively small but fast-growing player in the global coffee market, which is dominated by producers in Latin America and Asia. The continent accounts for just over a tenth of world coffee exports, with production concentrated mainly in East Africa, where coffee is a key source of foreign exchange, rural employment and government revenue.
Ethiopia is widely regarded as the birthplace of Arabica coffee and relies heavily on the crop for export earnings, with millions of smallholder farmers dependent on coffee sales. Recent reforms in Ethiopia’s coffee sector, including changes to export rules and greater private-sector participation, have been aimed at boosting competitiveness and formal exports.
Uganda, Africa’s largest coffee exporter, is a major supplier of both Robusta and Arabica beans and has invested in expanding acreage, distributing improved seedlings and rehabilitating old farms to raise output. Coffee is Uganda’s single biggest agricultural export.
Across the continent, governments are seeking to increase production and improve value addition as part of broader agricultural and industrialisation strategies. Countries such as Kenya and Tanzania are reforming auction systems, improving quality controls and encouraging local processing to capture higher export earnings.
Global coffee markets have been volatile in recent years due to climate shocks, supply disruptions in major producing countries and shifting demand patterns. Higher international prices have provided African exporters with an opportunity to expand shipments, though analysts warn that climate risks, productivity constraints and limited access to finance remain key challenges to sustaining long-term growth.
