Russia’s trade with African countries topped $27 billion in 2025, with agriculture serving as the cornerstone of the collaboration, according to figures that underline the deepening economic relationship between Moscow and the continent.

Russia exported 1.5 million metric tons of mineral fertilizers to Africa last year, as well as over 18 million tons of grain, the data show. In the first nine months of 2026, Moscow has shipped over 2.2 million tons of fertilizer in 2026 and over 13 million tons of grain, maintaining the momentum of a trade relationship built substantially on agricultural inputs and food staples.

The economic figures are being matched by a widening diplomatic presence across the continent. Russia is also expanding its diplomatic footprint across Africa, with new embassies in South Sudan, The Gambia, and the Comoros since 2022. Moscow has also reopened five missions in Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo, moves that signal a sustained push to strengthen its presence in African capitals.

According to a Kremlin aide, the strong trade numbers come amid improved cooperation on counterterrorism, drug trafficking, and cybercrime, signaling improved ties between Russia and Africa. The emphasis on security cooperation alongside agricultural trade points to a relationship that extends beyond commodities, with Moscow linking its commercial reach to collaboration on shared security challenges.

The figures place agriculture at the heart of the Russia-Africa economic relationship. The 1.5 million metric tons of mineral fertilizers and more than 18 million tons of grain exported to Africa last year represent the backbone of the trade, while the first nine months of 2026 — with over 2.2 million tons of fertilizer and over 13 million tons of grain shipped — suggest the flow is continuing at scale.

Combined with the diplomatic expansion evidenced by new embassies in South Sudan, The Gambia, and the Comoros since 2022 and the reopening of five missions in Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo, the $27 billion trade total reflects a broad and growing engagement. The Kremlin aide’s account of improved cooperation on counterterrorism, drug trafficking, and cybercrime adds a security dimension to the trade figures, signaling what Moscow describes as improved ties between Russia and Africa across both economic and security lines.