Africa’s uncoated wood-free paper market to grow to US$3.8B by 2035 – IndexBox.

AFRICA – The African market for uncoated wood-free (UWF) printing and writing papers is projected to experience steady growth at +2.6% CAGR, reaching US$3.8 billion by 2035, according to IndexBox.

Volumes are expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of +1.1%, reaching 2.8 million tons by 2035.

In 2024, Africa consumed approximately 2.5 million tons of UWF papers, with Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa leading the market.

Despite this high consumption, production totaled only 1.3 million tonnes, concentrated in Kenya, South Africa, and Angola, leaving the continent reliant on imports of around 1.3 million tonnes.

Exports remained modest at 82,000 tonnes, dominated by South Africa.

After peaking at 2.7 million tonnes in 2021, UWF paper consumption in Africa declined slightly to 2.5 million tonnes in 2024, down 4.9% year-on-year.

Market revenues fell to US$2.9 billion, reflecting a 6.5% decrease compared to 2023. Per capita consumption was highest in Kenya (8.4 kg), Chad (8.2 kg), and Angola (5.5 kg), while Morocco recorded the strongest growth over the past decade.

Production insights

Africa’s UWF paper production in 2024 stood at 1.3 million tonnes, down 4.3% from 2023, with Kenya (396,000 tonnes), South Africa (288,000 tonnes), and Angola (195,000 tonnes) accounting for nearly 70% of output.

Angola showed the fastest production growth over the last decade with a CAGR of +4.2%.

Imports of UWF papers fell to 1.3 million tonnes in 2024, valued at US$1.6 billion. Egypt and Nigeria were the largest importers, jointly accounting for 38% of total imports.

Graphic paper with mechanical fiber content under 10% and 40–150 g/m² in rolls represented the largest segment of imports, together with similar sheets and punch-card papers, accounting for more than 90% of total imported volumes.

Import prices averaged US$1,253 per tonne in 2024, up 5.5% year-on-year. Prices varied widely across countries, with Nigeria at US$1,614 per tonne and Côte d’Ivoire at US$815 per tonne.

Exports

Africa’s UWF paper exports declined to 82,000 tonnes in 2024, valued at US$94 million, with South Africa accounting for 64,000 tonnes (78% of exports).

Kenya, Djibouti, and Egypt followed as smaller exporters. The main export products were uncoated sheets for printing and writing, constituting roughly two-thirds of the total volume.

Export prices averaged US$1,135 per tonne, with handmade papers commanding the highest prices at US$2,255 per tonne.

The African UWF paper market is expected to maintain steady demand, supported by growth in key consuming countries such as Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa, along with rising demand for quality printing and writing papers.

While production remains concentrated in a few countries, import reliance ensures opportunities for regional players and international suppliers.

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