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Chinese Workers in Africa Surge 4% in 2024

12/21/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The number of Chinese workers in Africa rose to 90,793 in 2024, a 4% increase from 2023.
This reverses a decade-long decline that peaked at 263,696 workers in 2015.
The rise follows renewed focus on strategic mega-projects led by Chinese state-owned enterprises, per data from the China Africa Research Initiative, with Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Angola, and Nigeria hosting most workers.

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Story summary

The number of Chinese workers in Africa rose to 90,793 in 2024, a 4% increase from 2023.
This reverses a decade-long decline that peaked at 263,696 workers in 2015.
The rise follows renewed focus on strategic mega-projects led by Chinese state-owned enterprises, per data from the China Africa Research Initiative, with Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Angola, and Nigeria hosting most workers.