In October 2025, Dhl Group announced an investment plan exceeding €300 million in sub-Saharan Africa to strengthen its logistics infrastructure and support the expansion of regional trade flows. The multi-year initiative involves Dhl Express, Dhl Global Forwarding and Dhl Supply Chain and is aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to promote market integration and intra-African trade growth.
The plan includes expanding gateways and air networks, extending time-definite delivery services to secondary cities experiencing growth as a result of the AfCFTA. The goal is to better connect Africa’s main centres to trade corridors with Europe and Asia, improving reliability and transit times. Dhl Global Forwarding will invest in strengthening solutions dedicated to sectors driving African export growth. The programme includes enhancing temperature-controlled logistics for agricultural and healthcare products, expanding services for energy and industrial projects, and adopting digital tools to improve shipment traceability and streamline customs operations.
Dhl Supply Chain, meanwhile, will focus its resources on increasing capacity and integrating transport solutions to support the pharmaceutical and fast-moving consumer goods sectors. In South Africa, where demand for third-party logistics is rising, the company plans to expand its network and infrastructure for temperature-sensitive product distribution and fast delivery flows.
The Group has also confirmed the expansion of training programmes for small and medium-sized enterprises through the GoTrade initiative, designed to facilitate access to international markets by providing customs expertise and operational support. At the same time, Dhl is introducing renewable energy and alternative fuel solutions across its African facilities, along with digital tools to optimise routing and reduce barriers to cross-border trade.
According to the 2025 update of the Dhl Global Connectedness Tracker, sub-Saharan Africa recorded a 10% year-on-year increase in trade value in US dollars in the first half of 2025 – the highest growth rate globally. Forecasts indicate an average annual increase in trade volumes of 4.3% between 2025 and 2029, the second-fastest pace after South and Central Asia.
