3. Nigeria – $44.5bn (9.6% share)

The major ports of Nigeria include: the Lagos Port Complex and Tin Can Island Port in Lagos; Calabar Port; Delta Port; Rivers Port at Port Harcourt; and Onne Port. Nigeria’s largest exported goods sector is mineral fuels including oil, with $39.1bn in exports representing 96% of its entire exports. The second largest exported goods sector was ships and boats, accounting for 0.6% of all exported goods. Nigeria’s third largest exported goods industry was cocoa, accounting for 0.6% of all exports with a total value of $238.1mn.

2. Guinea – $62.1bn (13.4% share)

There are two major ports of Guinea, Conakry and Port Kamsar. Port Conakry is the larger of the two, with a full container storage capacity of around 8,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (teus) and a maximum annual capacity of around 600,000 teus. The country is a leading exporter of bauxite and holds the mineral’s largest reserve in the world. Guinea’s bauxite/aluminum ore ($990m) and gold exports ($1.54bn) represents around 85% of all exports from the country. The company also exports, Petroleum Gas ($154M), Non-fillet Frozen Fish ($43.2M) and Crude Petroleum ($41.9M).

1. The Republic of South Africa – $88.3bn (19.1% share)

South Africa is situated on one of the busiest international sea routes and the South African Government has identified the country’s ports and terminals as key economic drivers of growth. It has eight ports, with the port of Durban representing the largest and busiest shipping terminal in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2017, South Africa’s largest exported goods sector was gems and precious metals, with a total value of $14.9bn accounting for 16.7% of total exports. The republic’s other exports are significantly higher than in other African countries, with the 10th largest export sector (beverages, spirits and vinegar) still coming in at $1.4bn. The second largest export sector was ores, slag and ash at $11.3bn, accounting for 12.6% of all exported goods. The third largest export sector was mineral fuels including oil at $10.6bn, representing 11.8% of all exported goods.