A study for Senator Gerba maps how Canada could nearly triple exports to five African markets

Boosting Canadian Exports: The Essential African Market, dated March 2026, was prepared by UQAM’s School of Management (ESG UQAM) for the office of Senator Amina Gerba, funded by the Progressive Senate Group Research Fund and presented by Martin Deslauriers, MBA. According to ESG UQAM’s Entrepreneurship Centre, it was presented in Ottawa on April 22, 2026.

The starting point: $2.47 billion

The study finds that Canadian exports to the five markets exceeded $2.47 billion in 2025, concentrated in agri-food, infrastructure and industrial equipment:

• Morocco — $900.9 million, described as the most structured and accessible market and an entry point.
• Nigeria — $833.1 million, Canada’s second-largest market of the five, high-volume and diversified.
• South Africa — $509.4 million, an advanced industrial and technical market.
• Kenya — $158.1 million, a growing regional hub for East Africa.
• Cameroon — $75.8 million, a gradual entry point into Central Africa.

Two scenarios

Under natural growth, exports could reach $3.3 billion to $3.6 billion by 2030. Under a structured scenario that integrates services, training and local partnerships, the authors put the potential at $6 billion to $8 billion — a near tripling. They tie the opportunity to the federal goal of doubling exports to markets outside the United States over the next ten years.

Five recommendations

• Structure an integrated Canadian offering — inputs and equipment, services and maintenance, training and skills transfer.
• Deepen sectors where Canada is already strong, turning cereal, fertilizer and equipment flows into full value chains.
• Integrate vocational training as a market lever; the executive summary estimates it increases project value by 40% to 70%.
• Pursue a differentiated strategy across the five complementary markets.
• Strengthen on-the-ground support, with a central role for the Trade Commissioner Service.

Why it matters for the CACT community

The study’s core argument — sell integrated solutions, not just products — plays directly to diaspora strengths. Local partnerships, training delivery and after-sales service are where trusted relationships matter most. Firms already shipping wheat, lentils or equipment to Morocco or Nigeria can use this framework to ask what service, maintenance or training layer they could add with a partner on the ground.