Global Wine Exports to Africa Jump 43% in Value Over Eight Years

Global wine exports to Africa have seen significant growth over the past eight years, according to customs data analyzed by Del Rey AWM. Between 2017 and October 2025, the value of wine exports to African markets increased by 43%, while the volume rose by 21%. These figures have been adjusted to account for inconsistencies in official reporting and re-exports from countries such as Togo and Ghana. The increase in export value is largely due to a revaluation of wine prices, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the 12 months leading up to October 2025, total world exports of wine and must to Africa reached just over 4 million hectoliters, with a value of €716.5 million. The average price has remained above €1.70 per liter for the last four years. Seventy countries currently export wine to sixty destinations across Africa. The largest markets are Ivory Coast, South Africa, Angola, Nigeria, and Morocco, which together account for 46% of Africa’s total wine imports.

Morocco, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, and Zimbabwe have shown the most notable growth since 2017. Cameroon and Gabon have also nearly doubled their imports in this period, despite importing smaller quantities overall. European producers dominate the African market, making up 72.5% of total import turnover. South Africa is a key supplier within Africa, often through re-exports. While exports from the United States and Australia have grown recently and Chile has seen modest gains, these countries remain behind the leading suppliers.

Spain leads in volume with a 43% share of total wine exports to Africa, driven by bulk shipments mainly to Ivory Coast and Angola. In terms of value, France is ahead with sales exceeding €265.5 million—more than double Spain’s €123.7 million. South Africa’s wine exports are nearly equal to Spain’s in value at €123.6 million. Portugal follows with €83.6 million and Italy with €25 million in sales. The main shipments come from Spain, France, and Portugal to Ivory Coast, Angola, Nigeria, Morocco, and Cameroon. In recent years, strong flows have also developed from the United States to South Africa, where Italy is another important supplier.

The composition of wine sales to Africa has shifted notably in recent years. Bulk wine’s share of total exports rose from 32% in 2017 to 50% by October 2025. Non-sparkling bottled wines saw their share drop from 56.3% in 2017 to 40.7%. Sparkling wines make up a small portion by volume but contribute 26.8% of overall turnover due to their higher prices.

Global suppliers now send about 2 million hectoliters of bulk wine to Africa annually, valued at €128.2 million. Non-sparkling bottled wines amount to 3.7 million hectoliters at an average price of €2.24 per liter and generate €371.4 million in turnover. Sparkling wines account for less than 20 million liters but maintain an average price of €9.76 per liter with total sales reaching €192.3 million.

The surge in bulk shipments since 2020 has been led by Spain, with Portugal and occasionally the United States also contributing. These exports are concentrated in Ivory Coast, Morocco, and Angola—together accounting for 73% of bulk volume and 69% of value sent by Spain and other producers.

Non-sparkling bottled wines remain the largest category by value and are distributed across sixty destinations on the continent. Ivory Coast and Cameroon are the top individual markets for this category, each generating more than €30 million in revenue and accounting for about 8% each of total sales. Nigeria, Angola, and Morocco follow with sales between €20 million and €30 million each.

Burkina Faso stands out as a principal market for non-sparkling bottled wines due to large exports declared by Togo; Guinea-Bissau is also among the top ten destinations for this category. Most non-sparkling bottled wines exported to Africa come from France, South Africa, Portugal, and Spain—with Togo as a major re-exporter—together responsible for 80% of revenues and 73% of volume.

Average prices vary widely depending on destination markets: bulk wine shipments to Ivory Coast, Angola, and Morocco average around one euro per liter; recent shipments from the United States to South Africa average more than €3 per liter; similar prices are seen for sales to Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Re-exporting plays a significant role in African wine trade dynamics beyond South Africa’s production base. Countries such as Togo, Ghana, Namibia, Kenya, Botswana, and Ivory Coast are among the top twenty exporters within Africa despite not being major producers themselves. Re-export volumes range from about 30 million liters (for the largest re-exporter) down to around 300,000 liters (for Ivory Coast). Many re-exporters are located along West Africa’s coast where large harbors support their role as transit points.

Togo has emerged as a leading re-exporter since 2017 with reported sales totaling €22.2 million; Burkina Faso is its main destination at 45% of Togo’s export revenues followed by Ghana and Congo. Ghana began declaring significant re-exports in 2022 with principal destinations including Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Benin, Togo, and Nigeria—all neighboring countries in the Gulf of Guinea region.

Africa remains a small player in global wine consumption but is showing robust growth in imports across several markets. In countries like Ivory Coast and Angola this expansion is driven mainly by bulk imports; other markets import higher-priced wines from various categories. These trends make Africa an increasingly important region for global wine exporters seeking new opportunities outside traditional markets.