In a development that signals a major realignment in Africa’s coffee trade, Uganda has officially surpassed Ethiopia to become the continent’s leading coffee exporter, marking a watershed moment in a market long dominated by Ethiopia’s legacy.

According to the latest figures released at the World of Coffee Geneva 2025 event, Uganda exported a record 47,606.7 tonnes of coffee in May 2025, significantly outpacing Ethiopia’s 43,481 tonnes for the same month. This marks the first time in recent memory that Ethiopia has been outpaced on export volume by a regional competitor.

The data also revealed that Uganda exported 793,445 60kg bags in May alone, a staggering 43.59% increase from the 552,569 bags shipped in May 2024. This performance earned the country USD 243.9 million in a single month, pushing Uganda’s cumulative annual earnings to USD 2.09 billion between June 2024 and May 2025. Over that period, Uganda exported 7.43 million bags, compared to 6.08 million the previous year.

Ethiopia, long celebrated as the birthplace of coffee and Africa’s traditional leader in export volume and quality, finds itself in a more competitive environment than ever before.

Officials from Uganda’s Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries credited the achievement to sustained efforts in boosting coffee quality, expanding production, and enhancing value chain coordination. 

Back home, Ethiopian industry leaders have responded with calm optimism. Gizaw Worku, General Manager of the Ethiopian Coffee Association, downplayed the significance of the monthly figures in an interview with Sheger FM.

“Uganda becoming Africa’s top coffee exporter for one month does not surprise us,” Gizaw said. “Monthly export volumes can fluctuate for various reasons—including shipment schedules, international demand cycles, and port logistics. Even Brazil, the world’s largest coffee exporter, faces such monthly variations.”

He emphasized that Ethiopia still leads the continent in total annual exports and added: “As of now, Ethiopia remains Africa’s top coffee exporter when looking at the year as a whole. A temporary spike from another country should not be misinterpreted as a long-term shift.”

However, Gizaw acknowledged Uganda’s recent progress: “Uganda is clearly making strides. They’re investing in coffee sector reforms and expanding their reach in global markets. But for Ethiopia, our strength lies in the premium quality and heritage of our Arabica coffee. What matters is how we maintain consistency, build traceability, and adapt to the global market.”

He also cautioned, “If we see a consistent decline in our monthly exports over several consecutive periods, then that’s when we should raise questions. But for now, this is just a market fluctuation.”

Ethiopia remains Africa’s largest coffee producer, responsible for roughly 559,400 tonnes annually, and accounts for about 17% of the global coffee market. Ethiopia ranks fifth globally in coffee production and holds the eighth position worldwide in coffee exports, shipping approximately 3.76 million 60kg bags per year.