Northern Ireland exported over £156 million worth of exports to the African region in 2022, of which 37% of these exports are machinery and transport equipment exported to nations across the continent. The release of the figures comes as Northern Ireland prepares to participate at the MinExpo Africa 2023 in Kenya, showcasing the vast diversity of offerings available for African businesses and investors looking to partner with world-class products and services in Northern Ireland, particularly in the materials handling and mining sector.
The figures’ highlights the sustained and growing close partnership between Northern Ireland and African companies. With 40% of the world's tracked mobile crushing and screening equipment made in Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland is uniquely placed to support the future growth of the African mining industry and is increasingly approaching Africa as a market of interest due to its large-scale mining activity.
Raksha Maharaj, Regional Director – Africa at Invest Northern Ireland, stated: "The export figures to the African market demonstrate the ongoing engagement between Northern Ireland and African businesses. African economies are thriving, particularly in the mining sector, with analysts predicting growth of just under $800 billion in 2030. As the sector continues to scale, Northern Ireland is well-positioned to support companies' long-term growth trajectory."
"Northern Ireland's manufacturing sector continues to go from strength to strength. The industry has grown more than four times faster than the rest of the UK, and with over 60 years of expertise and leading the world in mobile bulk materials processing equipment, we are proud to deliver a truly unique offer to businesses from across the globe." Maharaj said.
She added: "There are over 100 Northern Ireland companies working on material handling sector, which brings new innovative products to the market, and make strides in the African mining industry, such as AJ Power, CDE Global, Sensoteq, and Anaconda Equipment. Northern Ireland companies are key suppliers to this industry, offering crushing, screening, screening systems, feeding, and washing equipment and providing them with expertise to drive future business opportunities. We remain committed to driving those opportunities across Africa."
