East Africa Rises in Global Coffee Trade as Uganda Leads Export Boom
East Africa’s coffee industry is experiencing a moment of historic transformation, led by Uganda’s rise as the continent’s top coffee exporter. In May 2025, Uganda overtook Ethiopia by exporting a record 47,606.7 tonnes of coffee, a 43.59% year-on-year increase that pushed its annual earnings beyond USD 2 billion. The milestone underscores the region’s increasing global competitiveness, driven by investments in quality, sustainability, and value addition.