The China Africa Research Initiative at John Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies posted in March 2024 numbers on Chinese workers in Africa from 2009 through 2022.
By the end of 2022, the number of Chinese workers in Africa hit a low since 2009 of 88,371. This is down from a peak in 2015 of 263,696. At the end of 2022, the top five countries with Chinese workers were the DRC, Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, and Angola. These five countries accounted for 42 percent of Chinese workers in Africa.
These figures include Chinese workers sent to work on Chinese companies' construction contracts in Africa and Chinese workers hired for other labor services who are reported by Chinese contractors. The numbers do NOT include informal migrants such as traders and shopkeepers.
Comment: There are no reliable figures for the number of Chinese traders, shopkeepers, and temporary residents such as professional personnel and students in Africa. But the figure for the number of workers in Africa significantly understates the total amount of Chinese residing in or visiting Africa at any given time. The COVID-19 pandemic probably contributed to a large reduction in the number of Chinese residing in Africa and it is doubtful that they have subsequently returned.
