AsemconnectVietnam - Africa is emerging as a potential market for Vietnamese goods when many traditional outlets are facing difficulties.

With a large population, increasing consumer demand and support from diplomacy and trade, this region promises to become a strategic destination for Vietnamese exports.
Vietnamese pepper is popular in both West Africa and North Africa, especially in markets such as Nigeria, Ghana and Egypt.
In the context that traditional export markets such as China, Europe and the US are facing unpredictable fluctuations and increasing barriers, Vietnam is actively seeking and expanding its vision to the African region. This is considered a potential market, with fewer technical barriers than major partners and a large demand for many products that are Vietnam's strengths.
Wide open potential from Africa
Africa, with a current population of over 1.4 billion people and expected to exceed 2.5 billion by 2050, is becoming one of the fastest growing regions in the world. The increase in the middle class here leads to increasing purchasing power and diverse demand for goods. African countries are particularly interested in agricultural products, food, essential consumer goods, machinery and equipment for agricultural production and construction materials - areas in which Vietnam has outstanding strengths.
Commercial Counselor in Algeria, Mr. Hoang Duc Nhuan, said that North African countries such as Algeria and Tunisia have a large demand for raw coffee, pepper, cashew nuts, coconut rice, tra fish, basa fish, and frozen shrimp from Vietnam. Meanwhile, many West African countries such as Senegal need to buy large quantities of rice, pepper, confectionery and cereal products. African consumers especially appreciate the quality and price of Vietnamese goods, especially products of natural origin, environmentally friendly and suitable for their basic needs.
Dr. Phan Chi Hieu, President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, emphasized that when the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is fully implemented, opportunities for Vietnam will be even more open because the goods of the two sides are complementary and do not compete directly.
Specific steps and initial results
To realize this potential, Vietnam has continuously carried out many high-level diplomatic activities. Notably, the official visits to Senegal and Morocco by National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, along with the visits to Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa by National Assembly Vice Chairman Vu Hong Thanh. These trips not only affirm a strong political commitment but also are concrete steps to realize economic cooperation projects approved by the Government.
A notable achievement is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on rice trade with Senegal during the visit of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man. Accordingly, Vietnam will supply 100,000 tonnes of rice per year to this West African country. This agreement not only contributes to ensuring food security for Senegal but also strengthens bilateral economic relations, diversifies markets and finds more sustainable output for Vietnam's rice industry.
According to statistics, in 2024, Vietnam's total export turnover to Africa will reach about 4 billion USD. However, the level of penetration into each specific market is still very limited, for example: turnover with Senegal accounts for less than 1% of total two-way trade. This fact shows that there is still a lot of room for Vietnam to expand its presence and boost exports to this potential region.
Many Vietnamese enterprises have quickly identified the potential and gradually approached the African market. Large corporations such as PAN Group, Vinamilk, Hoa Phat, Hapro, Intimex, Angimex have had export activities or surveyed the market in a number of countries in the region. In particular, the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN) and the Military Industry - Telecommunications Group (Viettel) have had a long-term presence in Algeria and Mozambique, not only investing in production and business but also contributing to building a solid foundation for the long-term presence of Vietnamese enterprises on this continent.
Challenges and future orientations
Conquering the African market still faces many challenges. Long geographical distances, high logistics costs, lack of market information, incomplete legal frameworks, unstable international payment systems and political risks in some countries are factors that make many businesses cautious. These are barriers that need to be clearly identified and have synchronous solutions if they want to go further in this potential but difficult market. To overcome these barriers and develop sustainably, experts recommend that Vietnam needs to develop a focused market access strategy. This includes the early establishment of logistics centers or transit warehouses in key countries such as Senegal, South Africa, and Morocco to shorten delivery time and reduce costs. At the same time, it is necessary to promote cooperation in banking, insurance and import-export support services.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has also issued many specific cooperation projects such as: Strengthening trade relations with the African Union in the period of 2022-2025 and Promoting trade exchange of some strong import-export products between Vietnam and key markets in Africa in the period of 2024-2026, which are being implemented substantially. The support of Vietnamese diplomatic agencies and trade offices in the area is expected to be a solid support for businesses.
In the context of a rapidly changing global situation, moving towards Africa is a strategic step, in line with the trend of diversifying markets and global supply chains of Vietnam.
With available advantages and specific efforts from the Government and businesses, Africa promises to become an important and exploitable destination for Vietnamese goods in the future.
CK
Source: VITIC/ haiquanonline.com.vn