Germany seeks energy and trading partners in Africa

Lead

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has wrapped up an Africa tour that included a two-day visit to Nigeria and concluded in South Africa, Germany’s largest trade partner on the continent. As reported by Africa News and Deutsche Welle, the trip centred on expanding trade and investment links amid shifting global dynamics. In Nigeria, Wadephul met officials to discuss economic cooperation and later engaged Nigerian influencers on Germany’s image in Africa. In South Africa he held talks with Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola on growing the economy and accelerating the Just Energy Transition, while also addressing questions about South Africa’s exclusion from a G20 summit.

Deutsche Welle noted that more than 600 German companies operate in South Africa and that bilateral trade volume reached €20 billion in 2025. Africa News reported Wadephul’s emphasis on the untapped potential of the German-Nigerian economic partnership, particularly in information technology and the start-up sector. Bilateral trade between Germany and Nigeria grew by around 10 percent last year, according to comments attributed to the minister. Nigeria was described as sub-Saharan Africa’s second-largest economy and a key destination for German exports.

Coverage Comparison

Africa News and Deutsche Welle both covered Wadephul’s itinerary and the commercial focus of the tour, yet each outlet highlighted different stops and themes. Africa News devoted attention to the South Africa leg, detailing the meeting with Lamola and Wadephul’s remarks on the G20 exclusion, as well as a separate account of the two-day Nigeria visit centred on trade and investment talks with Nigerian officials. Deutsche Welle framed the tour’s conclusion in South Africa around longstanding economic ties, citing the scale of German corporate presence and the 2025 trade volume, while a further report examined Wadephul’s encounter with Nigerian influencers and efforts to promote Germany’s image among younger audiences.

The two outlets converged on Germany’s interest in deepening business opportunities across Africa. Africa News linked the outreach to a more isolationist United States and geopolitical pressure from Russia and China, quoting accompanying Green parliamentarian Claudia Roth on the need for new partners. Deutsche Welle emphasised Nigeria’s role as an economic powerhouse and energy supplier, noting that raw materials form the largest share of the trade balance and that Nigeria supplied a significant portion of jet fuel shipments to Europe in June. Both organisations reported Wadephul’s assessment that partnership potential remains far from exhausted, with critical raw materials, renewable energy and pharmaceuticals identified as growth areas.

Key Claims

• German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul’s Africa tour ended in South Africa, described by Deutsche Welle as Germany’s largest trade partner on the continent.
• Over 600 German companies operate in South Africa, according to Deutsche Welle.
• Trade volume between Germany and South Africa reached €20 billion in 2025, as reported by Deutsche Welle.
• Wadephul met South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola to discuss growing the economy and accelerating the Just Energy Transition, Africa News reported.
• Wadephul responded to questions about South Africa’s exclusion from the G20 summit; Africa News carried his statement that Germany would seek to make South Africa’s concerns heard and hoped the interruption would not be permanent.
• Wadephul’s two-day visit to Nigeria focused on trade and investment, covered by both Africa News and Deutsche Welle.
• Bilateral trade between Germany and Nigeria grew by around 10 percent last year, according to Wadephul’s comments reported in the source material.
• Wadephul met Nigerian influencers to discuss Germany’s image in Africa and cooperation potential, as detailed by Deutsche Welle.
• Nigeria is sub-Saharan Africa’s second-largest economy and a key destination for German exports, per Deutsche Welle.
• Germany’s foreign aid budget has been cut repeatedly, a point noted in coverage of the broader context of the tour.

Perspectives

South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola questioned the legitimacy of the G20 format after the exclusion of a founding member, asking whether the grouping could still be called the G20 when the presidency had kept South Africa from the table. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated that Germany would be willing to ensure South Africa’s concerns were heard within the G20 framework and expressed hope that the interruption would not be permanent, allowing full participation the following year. Wadephul also presented Germany’s outreach as an effort to unlock unused economic potential in Nigeria and across Africa, naming information technology, start-ups, critical raw materials, renewable energy and pharmaceuticals as priority sectors. Accompanying parliamentarian Claudia Roth framed the search for partners as a response to geopolitical pressures associated with figures such as Trump, Putin and Xi.