Russia's African trade hit $28 billion last year

Russia’s trade with Africa reached approximately $28 billion in 2025. This figure stands in sharp contrast to the $348 billion in trade between China and the continent, as well as the $395 billion in goods exchanged between the European Union and Africa in 2024. These numbers frame the economic stakes as African leaders prepare to gather in Moscow for the upcoming Russia-Africa Summit.

The Kremlin anticipates delegations from 48 countries, including 22 heads of state. This attendance level exceeds the 17 heads of state present in St Petersburg in 2023, the year following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It also slightly surpasses the 43 participants at the inaugural summit in Sochi in 2019. The increase in representation signals a renewed diplomatic effort by Moscow to maintain its presence on the continent.

Beverly Ochieng, a Dakar-based analyst, notes that the economic incentives for attending the summit are currently more limited compared to summits hosted by the United States or China. She observes that Moscow offers fewer large-scale investment commitments. According to Ochieng, political incentives remain the primary driver for attendance, particularly for the military governments of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. For these regimes, Russian support serves as immediate backing for their hold on power.

Moscow is pursuing specific industrial projects to deepen economic ties. In Mali, construction has begun on a gold refinery backed by Russia’s Yadran Group, with the Malian state holding a 62 percent stake. In Guinea, the Russian aluminum company Rusal operates bauxite mines and an alumina plant. In Niger, subsidiaries of state nuclear company Rosatom are discussing uranium projects with the government, following the takeover of a mine formerly operated by France’s Orano. A separate dispute over the sale of existing uranium stockpiles remains unresolved.

The relationship has also become a matter of human cost for families across the continent. In Douala, Cameroon, Regina holds a portrait of her son Moses, who went to Russia to fight. Like many families, she awaits the return of his body. An investigation by Journalists for Justice documented 502 African deaths by June 2026. These losses are linked to the recruitment of African fighters for the war in Ukraine, some of whom were recruited under false pretenses.

Sergey Eledinov, a former Russian officer and security analyst, describes a dynamic where Moscow secures governments but may not secure their long-term loyalty. He argues that survival does not create loyalty, but rather creates options. This perspective suggests that military support provides African leaders with leverage to negotiate with other partners while they remain in power.

Vladimir Putin stated earlier this month that Russia’s aim is to develop together rather than take from Africa. He emphasized a partnership model as the foundation for the upcoming summit. The event serves as a platform for Moscow to demonstrate its political relevance despite Western sanctions and its status as a pariah state in some diplomatic circles.

The summit will take place against a backdrop of shifting military alliances. France has been pushed out of several West African nations, and Russia has stepped in to fill the void. However, challenges remain, including armed group attacks and accusations of civilian casualties by Africa Corps forces in Mali. The gathering in Moscow represents a test of whether economic and military ties can translate into sustained political alignment.