Investing in Africa from the UAE

The numbers below show how far the UAE’s commercial ties with Africa have moved in five years. Read them for direction, not precision: investment figures count projects announced, and announced projects take years to be built.

Africa’s share of UAE non-oil trade rose from 10.8% in 2019 to 15.5% in 2025, and Dubai alone accounted for more than USD 146 billion of that trade. The full picture, including how sources rank the UAE against China, the European Union and the United States, is on the UAE–Africa corridor page.

Each page answers one question a Gulf investor asks before committing capital to Africa, and the pages follow the order in which those questions usually come up:

1. Why AfricaThe data behind Africa’s investment case, the assumptions it corrects and the advantages UAE investors bring.
2. UAE–Africa CorridorHow the UAE and Africa trade and invest today, which UAE groups lead and which agreements apply.
3. SectorsEleven sectors compared by UAE anchor, country, entry route and main risk.
4. African goldHow African gold reaches the UAE, how the Dubai market works and what the rules require of buyers and sellers.
5. CountriesTwelve African markets compared on size, law, treaty cover and ties with the UAE.
6. How to InvestA nine-step route from investment thesis to post-deal governance, with entry routes and a due diligence checklist.
7. RisksA risk register for UAE investors, with the currency, debt, legal and political facts behind it and the tools that reduce each risk.
8. FinancingHow UAE investors combine equity, debt, guarantees and sukuk, and where to hold the investment.
9. AdvisorWhat an adviser between Dubai and African markets does, and how an engagement with Nidhal Chaawa runs.
10. FAQShort answers to the questions UAE investors ask most, with a glossary of African deal terms.
11. ContactSend a short brief to the advisory team in Dubai, by WhatsApp, email or phone.

Large UAE groups have already built a presence that private investors can plug into. Their ports, power plants and payment networks lower the cost of doing business for everyone who follows:

• Ports and logistics: DP World runs ports from Dakar to Berbera and about two-thirds of Dar es Salaam, while AD Ports Group holds concessions in Pointe-Noire, Luanda and Egypt
• Clean energy: Masdar, its Egyptian joint venture Infinity Power and AMEA Power have committed equity to deliver 15 GW of renewable power across the continent by 2030
• Land and real estate: the ADQ-led Ras El Hekma deal on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast, worth USD 35 billion in February 2024, is described by the UAE as its largest investment agreement with Egypt
• Mining: International Resources Holding took 51% of Mopani Copper Mines in Zambia in 2024 and a controlling stake in the Bisie tin mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2025
• Telecoms, payments and data: e& controls Maroc Telecom, Network International owns the DPO payments group, and G42 announced a USD 1 billion data centre in Kenya with Microsoft in 2024

These anchors matter for a mid-sized investor because they bring reliable logistics, power and contracts with them. The sector guide shows where suppliers, contractors and co-investors find openings around them.

Every successful plan to invest in Africa from the Emirates rests on five decisions, taken in this order. The step-by-step guide covers each in depth:

1. 1

   Step 1: Decide what you want from Africa

   Return, access to a growing consumer market, security of supply for food or minerals, or a strategic presence. The answer decides your horizon and how much control you need.

2. 2

   Step 2: Shortlist two or three markets

   Compare markets on the factors that affect your sector: currency, ownership rules, infrastructure and the strength of the local partner base. The country profiles give a starting point.

3. 3

   Step 3: Choose how you will hold the investment

   A holding company in the UAE, a local subsidiary, a joint venture or a fund stake each carry different tax, control and exit consequences. Financing and structuring explains the options.

4. 4

   Step 4: Find and vet your partners

   Most deals succeed or fail on the local partner. Check ownership, litigation history and political exposure before you sign anything.

5. 5

   Step 5: Price and cover the risks

   Currency, transfer, political and contract risks can be reduced with treaties, insurance and the right financing partners. The risk page sets out the tools.

Between a Dubai investor and an African project sit ministries, banks, lawyers and local partners who work in different languages and legal systems. An Africa advisor based in Dubai coordinates them, filters opportunities and keeps the deal moving. Nidhal Chaawa, founder of Africa Business Club Consultancy, holds that title and explains the work on the advisor page.