By Kester Kenn Klomegah
African economies today find themselves caught between the pursuit of import substitution and the persistence of dependency syndrome. This condition, shaped by rules and regulations that reinforce reliance on external partners, has led many countries to pivot away from traditional ties with the United States and Europe toward new, yet often incoherent, bilateral partnerships with Russia, China, and the wider Global South.
These partnerships, while promising diversification, frequently deepen economic dependency rather than strengthen local production. Instead of channeling resources into supporting domestic farmers and industries, governments remain locked into import-centric structures that compound production challenges. This is particularly striking given Africa’s vast arable land and human capital, which could secure food sovereignty if properly harnessed.
Ghana offers a telling example. In December 2025, President John Dramani Mahama announced the suspension of U.S. chicken and agricultural imports, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to transforming local agriculture. Speaking during Agricultural Day celebrations, Mahama urged citizens to embrace farming, stressing the importance of affordable credit and modern tools to boost productivity. Ghana currently spends an estimated $3 billion annually on food imports, underscoring the urgency of his call. His broader initiatives—the 24-Hour Economy and the Big Push Agenda—place agriculture modernization at the heart of economic recovery.
Yet despite these measures, Ghana’s demand for food products remains high, and imports from Russia have surged to fill the gap. Poultry from Russia’s Rostov region, along with grains, vegetable oils, dairy, fish, and processed foods, now form a significant share of Ghana’s supply. The Ministry of Agriculture’s Agroexport Department acknowledges that Russian poultry exports, particularly frozen cuts, are meeting demand that far exceeds domestic production capacity. Even after Ghana lifted its avian flu-related ban on Russian poultry in 2021, imports have continued to grow, reflecting the country’s struggle to balance local industry needs with consumer demand.
Russia’s role as a supplier is expanding across Africa. Following two Russia–Africa summits, food security emerged as a central theme, with Moscow pledging increased exports of grain, poultry, and fertilizers. Russian officials, including Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov, have emphasized the eagerness of more than 40 companies to penetrate African markets. Estimates suggest Russia could earn over $15 billion annually from agricultural exports to the continent.
At a recent conference in Addis Ababa, Ilya Ilyushin of the Agroexport Federal Center highlighted the growing scale of Russian exports, noting shipments of wheat and barley to Egypt and Kenya worth millions of dollars. By the third quarter of 2025, Russian agricultural exports to Africa had more than doubled, reaching nearly $7 billion. Key buyers include Egypt, Algeria, Kenya, Libya, Tunisia, Nigeria, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania, and Sudan, with plans to expand further into West Africa, including Ghana, Benin, Cameroon, and the Sahelian states.
For Russian exporters, Africa represents a lucrative and expanding market. For African governments, however, the dilemma remains unresolved: whether to continue down the path of import dependency or to prioritize agricultural self-sufficiency. While multipolar trade partnerships may offer short-term relief, they risk undermining long-term food sovereignty.
The lesson is clear. Africa cannot afford to sacrifice its agricultural independence for symbolic geopolitical solidarity. Without decisive investment in local production, technology, and innovation, dependency will persist, leaving the continent vulnerable to external shocks. Russia’s readiness to expand exports reflects a calculated strategy, but Africa’s future depends on whether its leaders choose resilience over reliance.