Import of Chinese Commodities and Sub-Regional Mobility in West Africa

A large part of the Chinese goods entering West Africa via the ports of Dakar, Banjul and Nouakchott, imported by both Chinese and African merchants, circulate in the sub-regional area. Such circulation of made in China goods is facilitated by African traders, sellers and resellers. The affordability of these products and the flexibility of the Chinese traders to sell all buyers regardless of their purchasing power have facilitated market flow and provided new ways of accessing the market for many young Africans. Young Africans previously unexperienced in trade can now become local or/and transnational traders in West Africa, an area where opportunities to emigrate are rarer. The newfound career opportunities for these young traders thus contribute to the increase of the sub-regional mobility. This mobility, both geographical and social, is the result of constant adaptation by young entrepreneurs. It shows their ability to innovate in adverse economic or political contexts and to grasp opportunities created by new players, such as Chinese importers, in a social space.