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Energy & ClimateMiddle East and AfricaUpdated

Middle East and Africa Battery raw material Market 2026: imports, data and top suppliers

Countries in the Middle East and Africa reported $2.1 million of imports of battery raw material and related goods (HS 283691) in their latest year with data. The United Arab Emirates was the largest importer.

Also coveredEuropean Union

+261% since 2022

Imports under HS 283691 by the 10 countries that reported every year from 2022 to 2024 were up 261%

$1.1million

The United Arab Emirates was the largest importer among the countries covered

$483thousand

Egypt followed with $483 thousand in 2025

OverviewDataBuyers and suppliersWhat is insideFAQ

Chile was the largest supplier to the main importing countries.

What this market covers

Lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese and graphite that feed cathode and anode production. Miners, refiners and cell makers trade them.

Typical segments

  • Lithium
  • Nickel
  • Cobalt
  • Graphite
  • Manganese

Top importing countries

Customs import value under HS 283691 in each country's latest reported year (in brackets), USD million.

  1. United Arab Emirates (2023)1.1 USD million
  2. Egypt (2025)0.5 USD million
  3. Israel (2025)0.2 USD million
  4. South Africa (2025)0.1 USD million
  5. Saudi Arabia (2025)0.1 USD million
  6. Morocco (2025)0.0 USD million
  7. Qatar (2024)0.0 USD million
  8. Jordan (2024)0.0 USD million

GCC and Africa

Import value by country group, latest reported year per country, USD million.

  1. GCC1.2 USD million
  2. Jordan and Israel0.2 USD million
  3. North Africa0.5 USD million
  4. Sub-Saharan Africa0.1 USD million
ChartImports under HS 283691 by the 10 countries reporting every year, USD million
Imports under HS 283691 by the 10 countries reporting every year, USD million00.511.52022: 0.4 USD million0.420222023: 1.2 USD million1.220232024: 1.4 USD million1.42024

Source: UN Comtrade

Why this market is moving now

  • Import value for the 10 countries reporting every year rose 261% from 2022 to 2024.
  • EU exports of the matching CN code to the region rose 1% from 2020 to 2025.
  • Demand is concentrated: one country took a large share of the region's reported imports.

About the data

Figures are customs import values (CIF, US dollars) that 19 countries reported to UN Comtrade for HS code 283691 (Lithium carbonates). Each country's latest reported year is used: Algeria 2024, Bahrain 2024, Cote d'Ivoire 2024, Egypt 2025, Ethiopia 2021, Ghana 2025, Israel 2025, Jordan 2024, Kenya 2024, Kuwait 2024, Morocco 2025, Nigeria 2020, Oman 2025, Qatar 2024, Saudi Arabia 2025, South Africa 2025, Tanzania 2024, Tunisia 2024, United Arab Emirates 2023.

South Africa reports import values FOB (free on board) rather than CIF.

Supplier figures add up the partner breakdown that the largest importing countries reported for their latest year. Partner areas that the reporters did not specify are left out of the list.

EU export figures are Eurostat Comext values in euros for CN code 28369100 (Lithium carbonates), the code used on the EU page for this market. Shares, changes and per-kilogram values are calculated from these figures. No figure on this page is a forecast.

Key figures

Each figure names the source it came from. Open the source list below to read the quoted line.

FigureValueYearSource
Customs data from 19 Middle East and Africa countries shows imports of $2.1 million under HS code 283691 (Lithium carbonates) in their latest year with data (2025 for 7 countries, 2024 for 9, 2023 for 1, 2021 for 1 and 2020 for 1).2.1 USD million2025UN Comtrade
Imports under HS 283691 by the 10 countries that reported every year from 2022 to 2024 were up 261% in 2024 compared with 2022 (2022 is the first year with data for this code), from $397 thousand to $1.4 million, calculated from UN Comtrade values.+261 % since 20222024UN Comtrade
The United Arab Emirates was the largest importer among the countries covered, with $1.1 million in 2023, or 53% of the total.1.1 USD million2023UN Comtrade
Egypt followed with $483 thousand in 2025.483 USD thousand2025UN Comtrade
The six GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries accounted for $1.2 million, or 58% of the total, in their latest reported years.1.2 USD million2025UN Comtrade
The 11 African countries with data accounted for $683 thousand, or 32% of the total.683 USD thousand2025UN Comtrade
Chile was the largest supplier to the 3 largest importing countries in the region, which took 85% of its reported imports, with $856 thousand, or 48% of their imports under HS 283691 (partner data for each country's latest year).856 USD thousand2025UN Comtrade
The average import value under HS 283691 was $21.11 per kilogram across the 19 countries that reported net weight, calculated from UN Comtrade value and weight.21.11 USD per kg2025UN Comtrade
EU exports of CN 28369100 (Lithium carbonates) to the 6 Middle East and Africa countries covered were worth €339 thousand in 2025.339 EUR thousand2025Eurostat
EU exports of CN 28369100 to these countries were up 1% in 2025 compared with 2020, when they were €334 thousand, calculated from Eurostat values.+1 % since 20202025Eurostat
The United Arab Emirates was the largest of these destinations for EU exports of CN 28369100 in 2025, at €226 thousand.226 EUR thousand2025Eurostat

Sources and method

The figures on this page come from the public sources listed below. Read how we work.

  1. UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
    Quoted lines
    • Figure 1cmdCode=283691 flowCode=M partnerCode=0 primaryValue: ARE2023=1130216; BHR2024=433; CIV2024=1305; DZA2024=5528; EGY2025=483199; ETH2021=3479; GHA2025=241; ISR2025=182000; JOR2024=19923; KEN2024=158; KWT2024=3100; MAR2025=41040; NGA2020=526; OMN2025=6752; QAT2024=41024; SAU2025=49308; TUN2024=181; TZA2024=769; ZAF2025=146138; sum=2115322
    • Figure 3reporterCode 784, period 2023, cmdCode 283691, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 1130216; share of 2115322 = 53%
    • Figure 5cmdCode 283691, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for ARE BHR KWT OMN QAT SAU = 1230833; share 58%
    • Figure 6cmdCode 283691, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for CIV DZA EGY ETH GHA KEN MAR NGA TUN TZA ZAF = 682566; share 32% (shown as 683 USD thousand)
    • Figure 8cmdCode 283691, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue 2115322 / sum of netWgt 100219 kg = 21.11 USD per kg
  2. UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
    Quoted lines
    • Figure 2cmdCode 283691, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for BHR EGY ISR KEN MAR OMN SAU TUN TZA ZAF: 2022 = 397246; 2024 = 1435362; change +261%
  3. UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
    Quoted lines
    • Figure 4reporterCode 818, period 2025, cmdCode 283691, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 483199
  4. UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
    Quoted lines
    • Figure 7cmdCode 283691, flowCode M, partnerCode 152, primaryValue summed over reporters = 856371; world 1795415; share 48%
  5. Eurostat: EU trade since 1988 by HS2-4-6 and CN8 (DS-045409) (2026-11-06)
    Quoted lines
    • Figure 9DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 28369100, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, 2025: AE=226378; EG=28228; IL=31557; MA=22504; SA=39; ZA=30310; sum 339016
    • Figure 10DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 28369100, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, sum over the same partners: 2020 = 334170; 2025 = 339016; change +1%
    • Figure 11DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 28369100, partner AE, flow export, 2025, VALUE_IN_EUROS 226378

Buyers and suppliers

Who buys

  • Cathode producers
  • Cell manufacturers
  • Commodity traders

Large suppliers to the countries covered

  1. Chile0.9 USD million
  2. China0.3 USD million
  3. United States0.2 USD million
  4. Germany0.2 USD million
  5. United Kingdom0.1 USD million
  6. Spain0.0 USD million

EU exports to the largest destinations in the region, 2025

Eurostat Comext, CN 28369100, EUR million.

  1. United Arab Emirates0.2 EUR million
  2. Israel0.0 EUR million
  3. South Africa0.0 EUR million
  4. Egypt0.0 EUR million
  5. Morocco0.0 EUR million

What the full report covers

  1. 01Executive summary
    The answer in one page: size, direction and what moves it
  2. 02Market definition and scope
    What is in and out of the Middle East and Africa market
  3. 03Market size, 2021 to 2025
    Historical series and growth rates
  4. 04Outlook to 2031
    Base, low and high scenarios with stated assumptions
  5. 05Rules, policy and deadlines
    Regulation and programmes that change demand
  6. 06Drivers and barriers
    What accelerates or slows adoption, by customer segment
  7. 07Prices, costs and margins
    Unit economics where public data allows
  8. 08Competitive landscape
    8 to 12 company profiles with recent moves
  9. 09Opportunities and risks
    For new entrants, suppliers and investors
  10. 10Method and sources
    Every assumption and source, listed

Included with the full report

  • PDF report, 40 to 60 pages
  • Excel data pack
  • Ready-to-use charts
  • Method note and assumptions
  • Written to order in 5 working days
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Frequently asked questions

How big is the Middle East and Africa battery raw material market?

There is no single official market total. Customs data reported to UN Comtrade shows imports of $2.1 million under HS code 283691 by 19 countries in the region, using the latest year each one reported.

Which Middle East and Africa countries import the most battery raw material?

The United Arab Emirates was the largest importer, followed by Egypt and Israel.

Where does the Middle East and Africa import battery raw material from?

Chile was the largest supplier to the largest importing countries in the region. Other large suppliers included China, the United States and Germany.

How do GCC and African imports of battery raw material compare?

The GCC countries with data took $1.2 million, or 58% of the total, and the African countries with data took $683 thousand, or 32%, each in its latest reported year.

How much battery raw material does the EU export to the Middle East and Africa?

Eurostat shows EU exports of CN 28369100 to the countries covered of €339 thousand in 2025. The United Arab Emirates was the largest destination.

What is the average import price of battery raw material in the Middle East and Africa?

Dividing UN Comtrade import value by net weight gives about $21.11 per kilogram for HS 283691, across the countries that reported weight.

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