Located on the Horn of Africa and officially named the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Ethiopia’s imports amounted to US$16.5 billion in 2022, up by 14.8% compared to $14.4 billion in 2021.

Year over year, Ethiopia spent 8.2% more on imported products during 2022 than the $15.3 billion paid for Ethiopian imports during 2021.

Ethiopia’s Most Valuable Suppliers

The latest available country-specific data shows that almost four-fifths (79.2%) of products imported by Ethiopia was furnished by exporters in: mainland China (30% of the Ethiopian total), India (14.3%), United States of America (6.7%), Türkiye (4.5%), Morocco (4.2%), Egypt (3.45%), United Arab Emirates (3.41%), Saudi Arabia (3.2%), Malaysia (3.1%), Japan (2.23%), Djibouti (2.16%) and Kuwait (2.1%).

From a continental perspective, over two-thirds (68%) of Ethiopia’s total imports by value were purchased from Asian countries. Trade partners in Africa supplied 12.1% of import purchases by Ethiopia. Another 11.6% worth of goods originated from Europe, while 7.3% came from providers in North America.

Tinier percentages were sent to Ethiopia from Latin America (0.9%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (0.1%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

Given Ethiopia’s population of 104.1 million people, its total $16.5 billion in 2022 imports translates to roughly $160 in yearly product demand from every person in the northeast African country. That dollar metric exceeds the per-capita average of $150 one year earlier in 2021.

Ethiopia’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Ethiopia’s import purchases during 2022. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Ethiopia.

1. Machinery including computers: US$1.6 billion (9.7% of total imports)
2. Vehicles: $1.5 billion (9.1%)
3. Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $1.42 billion (8.6%)
4. Electrical machinery, equipment: $1.36 billion (8.2%)
5. Cereals: $1.35 billion (8.1%)
6. Fertilizers: $1.3 billion (7.8%)
7. Mineral fuels including oil: $1.1 billion (6.5%)
8. Plastics, plastic articles: $829 million (5%)
9. Pharmaceuticals: $786.4 million (4.8%)
10. Sugar, sugar confectionery: $587.2 million (3.5%)

By value, Ethiopia’s top 10 imports accounted for over two-thirds (71.4%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

The fastest gainer among the top imported product categories from 2021 to 2022 was fertilizers thanks to a 119.5% advance.

In second place were Ethiopian imports of electrical machinery and equipment via a 34.6% advance.

Imports of vehicles increased by 25.4% year over year, ahead of Ethiopian purchases of plastics both as materials and items made from plastic (up 22.7% from 2021).

Leading the decliners were cereals (down -20.1% from 2021), weighed down by Ethiopia’s lower spending on wheat, rice, barley, grain sorghum, corn, then buckwheat, millet and canary seed.

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level.

Information presented below is at the more granular 4-digit HTS codes perspective.

Ethiopia’s Top Machinery Imports Including Computers

In 2022, Ethiopian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

1. Computers, optical readers: US$133.1 million (up 43.3% from 2021)
2. Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $112.5 million (down -13.8%)
3. Turbo-jets: $97.3 million (down -15%)
4. Piston engines: $81.2 million (down -54.4%)
5. Liquid pumps and elevators: $80 million (up 12.1%)
6. Piston engine parts: $79.6 million (up 307.7%)
7. Refrigerators, freezers: $60.6 million (up 5.9%)
8. Miscellaneous machinery: $58.8 million (up 56%)
9. Sort/screen/washing machinery: $54 million (up 7.1%)
10. Printing machinery: $50.8 million (up 37.6%)

Among these import subcategories, Ethiopian purchases of piston engine parts (up 307.7%), miscellaneous machinery (up 56%) then computers including optical readers (up 43.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of machinery-related imports among Ethiopian businesses and consumers.

Ethiopia’s Top Vehicle Imports

In 2022, Ethiopian importers spent the most on the following subcategories of vehicles and related product.

1. Cars: US$736.4 million (up 45.7% from 2021)
2. Trucks: $455.9 million (up 9.4%)
3. Automobile parts/accessories: $70.3 million (up 11.4%)
4. Motorcycles: $55.7 million (up 17.3%)
5. Special purpose vehicles: $47.4 million (up 72.4%)
6. Trailers: $46.6 million (up 102.4%)
7. Public-transport vehicles: $39.3 million (up 14%)
8. Tractors: $38 million (down -43.4%)
9. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $5 million (up 9.1%)
10. Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $2.7 million (down -47.4%)

Among these import subcategories, Ethiopian purchases of trailers (up 102.4%), special purpose vehicles (up 72.4%) then cars (up 45.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of vehicles-related imports among Ethiopian businesses and consumers.

Ethiopia’s Top Imports of Vegetable or Animal Fats and Oils

In 2022, Ethiopian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of animal or vegetable fats and oils.

1. Palm oil: US$893.8 million (up 1.2% from 2021)
2. Sun/safflower/cotton-seed oil: $459.5 million (up 3.1%)
3. Animal/vegetable hydrogenated fats, oils: $27.3 million (up 91.2%)
4. Fixed vegetable fats/oils: $25.7 million (down -39.4%)
5. Margarine: $8 million (up 190.6%)
6. Rape/colza/mustard oil: $3.7 million (up 645.7%)
7. Olive oil: $1.3 million (down -8.6%)
8. Soya-bean oil: $958,000 (down -80.1%)
9. Coconut/palm/babassu oil: $231,000 (down -29.8%)
10. Animal or vegetable fats and oils: $115,000 (down -85.2%)

Among these import subcategories, Ethiopian purchases of rape, colza, or mustard oil (up 645.7%), margarine (up 190.6%) then animal or vegetable hydrogenated fats and oils (up 91.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported fats and oils among Ethiopian businesses and consumers.

Ethiopia’s Top Imported Electrical Items

In 2022, Ethiopian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics including consumer electronics.

1. Phone devices including smartphones: US$436.5 million (up 73% from 2021)
2. Insulated wire/cable: $200.2 million (up 114.6%)
3. Electrical converters/power units: $103.4 million (down -3.2%)
4. Electric generating sets, converters: $83.3 million (up 44.2%)
5. TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $72.9 million (up 13.9%)
6. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $57.1 million (down -25.3%)
7. Electric storage batteries: $46 million (up 43.4%)
8. Unrecorded sound media: $43.9 million (up 109.2%)
9. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $43.2 million (up 21.5%)
10. Electric motors, generators: $25.7 million (down -4.2%)

Among these import subcategories, Ethiopian purchases of insulated wire or cable (up 114.6%), unrecorded sound media (up 109.2%) then phone devices including smartphones (up 73%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported cereals among Ethiopian businesses and consumers.
 
See also Ethiopia’s Top 10 Exports, China’s Top Trading Partners, India’s Top Trading Partners and Top African Export Countries

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on May 30, 2023

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Databases (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on May 30, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 30, 2023

Wikipedia, Shrimp – Ethiopia. Accessed on May 30, 2023