China, an indispensable supplier

China dominated Chad’s import market in 2025, delivering goods worth 306.5 billion FCFA, or 30.7 percent of total imports. This made China the leading supplier, far ahead of second-ranked Cameroon with 108.4 billion FCFA — approximately three times less. Libya placed third with 85.8 billion FCFA, representing 8.6 percent of imports.

What China exports to Chad reflects the nature of this trade relationship: manufactured goods, industrial equipment, and consumer products. This is a classic north-south exchange, where the African country absorbs industrial output from the Asian economy in return for raw materials. Beijing has replicated this model successfully across the continent over the past two decades.

UAE as an export platform

On the export side, the United Arab Emirates emerged as the top buyer of Chadian goods, purchasing 333.3 billion FCFA worth, or 26.2 percent of total exports. Malaysia followed with 297.8 billion FCFA (23.4 percent) and Germany with 279.9 billion FCFA (22 percent).

The UAE’s role here is less that of a final consumer and more of a redistribution hub. Crude oil from Chad transits through Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where it is sometimes processed or blended before being re-exported to other markets. This intermediary role benefits both sides, but it means N’Djamena does not always know the final destination of its own resources.

30.7 percent of imports — from China, a regional record
26.2 percent of exports — captured by the United Arab Emirates
79.8 percent of imports — concentrated among the top ten partner countries

France and the United States present but outpaced

France, despite its historical ties to Chad, accounted for only 5.1 percent of imports (50.9 billion FCFA), ranking sixth. The United States ranked fifth with 53.0 billion FCFA (5.3 percent). These figures point to a gradual rebalancing of Chad’s trade partnerships toward Asia, the Middle East, and emerging economies, at the expense of traditional Western powers. India (4.3 percent), Togo (3.6 percent), Brazil (2.9 percent), and Turkey (2.3 percent) round out a diversified import picture, revealing a Chad that is broadening its supply sources while remaining heavily dependent on China for volume.

A geography of dependencies to reconfigure

The strategic lesson from this trade report is clear: Chad sells to a very concentrated set of buyers — the top ten account for 98.9 percent of exports — and sources from a more diverse but still China-dominated set of suppliers. This dual concentration exposes the country to external shocks that a trade diversification policy — on both the export and import sides — could help mitigate.