Phones and network equipment imports in Ethiopia: data, top suppliers and prices
In 2024, Ethiopia imported phones and network equipment worth $208.7 million (2.1 thousand tonnes). Value fell 48% from 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable. The peak in this period was 2023, at $399.0 million.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Imports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $208.7M | 2.1K t |
| 2023 | $399.0M | 3.3K t |
| 2022 | $385.2M | 3.4K t |
| 2021 | $227.4M | 2.8K t |
| 2020 | $182.0M | 2.3K t |
| 2019 | $83.9M | 894 t |
| 2018 | $195.3M | 2.1K t |
| 2017 | $274.0M | 3.2K t |
Where Ethiopia imports phones and network equipment from
One supplier dominates: China accounted for 70% of the value. Among the main suppliers, Hong Kong grew fastest (+63% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| China | $146.5M | 70% |
| Hong Kong | $30.8M | 15% |
| Netherlands | $6.2M | 3% |
| United States | $6.1M | 2.9% |
| United Kingdom | $5.7M | 2.7% |
| Iceland | $4.8M | 2.3% |
| France | $1.4M | 0.7% |
| Israel | $1.2M | 0.6% |
| Greece | $876K | 0.4% |
| Indonesia | $874K | 0.4% |
Product types under HS 8517
| 8517.62 | Transmission and switching apparatus | 35% |
| 8517.12 | Mobile phones | 33% |
| 8517.70 | Telephone and communication parts | 17% |
| 8517.61 | Base stations | 9.8% |
| 8517.69 | Communication apparatus (other) | 3.8% |
| 8517.18 | Telephone sets (other) | 0.4% |
| 8517.11 | Cordless telephones | 0.1% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 8517.
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $100.00 per kg, 58% below the world average of $239.13, which often means bulk or lower-grade product.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Phones and network equipment exports from Ethiopia
Exports of phones and network equipment by Ethiopia reached $2.0 million in 2024 (412 tonnes). The largest buyer markets were Singapore (45%), Hong Kong (13%), Hungary (12%). Among the main buyer markets, Hungary grew fastest, more than tenfold on the year before.
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore | $880K | 45% |
| Hong Kong | $248K | 13% |
| Hungary | $234K | 12% |
| Netherlands | $153K | 7.8% |
| Angola | $117K | 6% |
| Zimbabwe | $110K | 5.6% |
| Burkina Faso | $110K | 5.6% |
| Nigeria | $46K | 2.3% |
| Ireland | $24K | 1.2% |
| United States | $10K | 0.5% |
Who is behind these numbers in Ethiopia?
The shipment records behind Ethiopia phones and network equipment imports (HS 8517): companies, dates, quantities and declared values.
Shipment records are in the platform
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Direct customs feed: shipment-level records from the official customs source.
Source: CEPII BACI (reconciled UN Comtrade data), HS 2017 edition, release 202601, Etalab Open Licence 2.0. Annual values in US dollars at the customs border; quantities in tonnes where reported. HS 8517: Telephone sets, including smartphones and other telephones for cellular/wireless networks; other apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images or other data (including wired/wireless networks), excluding items of 8443, 8525, 8527, or 8528.
Common questions
What is the value of phones and network equipment imported by Ethiopia?
Ethiopia imported phones and network equipment worth $208.7 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 2.1 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 104th of 226 countries worldwide, with 0% of world imports. The value was down 48% on 2023.
Which countries supply phones and network equipment to Ethiopia?
China was the largest supplier with 70% of the value ($146.5 million), followed by Hong Kong (15%) and the Netherlands (3%). The top three together account for 88%, out of 40 supplier countries in total. Indonesia grew fastest among the top ten, up 163% on the year.
What is the average import price of phones and network equipment per kg?
The average declared import value was about $100.00 per kg in 2024, 58% below the world average of $239.13 per kg. Declared value divided by weight mixes every grade, so read it as a benchmark rather than a quote.
How have imports of phones and network equipment to Ethiopia changed since 2017?
Imports went from $274.0 million in 2017 to $208.7 million in 2024, a fall of 24%. The peak was 2023 at $399.0 million. Over 8 years the average was $244.4 million a year.
Does Ethiopia also export phones and network equipment?
Yes. Ethiopia exported $2.0 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly to Singapore, Hong Kong and Hungary. On balance Ethiopia is a net importer of this product, by about $206.7 million a year.
What is the HS code for phones and network equipment?
The HS code for phones and network equipment is heading 8517. In Ethiopia the largest six-digit codes were 8517.62 (35% of the value) and 8517.12 (33%).
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
The totals here are public statistics; the company-level detail sits in EximDataX, which has a direct customs feed for Ethiopia. Tell us your product to see it live.
Same product, other countries
World phones and network equipment trade: top importers and exporters
Phones and network equipment product types in Ethiopia
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