Top 10 African Countries with the Largest Asian populations

In Summary

• South Africa's 1 million Asians are dominated by African-born Indians living mostly in Durban and Gauteng
• Mauritius is Asia's most dominant African country by population ratio due to its small island size. It has 929,000 Asians, mainly descendants of Indian enslaved laborers.
• Some West African countries like Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone, have more Asians than people imagine. Ivory Coast has 300,000 and Sierra Leone has around 150,000. The Asians are majorly dominated by Lebanon and India. They migrated for businesses like trade and real estate.

Deep Dive!!

When people think about Asia's global migrant community, they often imagine the spread across Europe or America. However, Africa has built quite a strong relationship with the Asias in terms of business and trade, and this has resulted in a wide spread of Asian population across the continent. Looking at the Indian traders settling centuries ago and also the Chinese infrastructural expansion; this has invoked a strong presence of Asians, which is still growing.

While some countries are just beginning to see a rise in the Asia population, others have well-established communities promoting their economies, culture, and politics. Here is the ranking of the highest number of Asian population in Africa.

10. Zambia

Zambia's Asian population is quite recent and majorly dominated by the Chinese with 113,000 Asians. For over two decades, the mining and construction industries, especially in Copperbelt province and Lusaka, have attracted large numbers of Chinese. These communities often work collectively in small and large businesses. The Asian population also includes some Indian families who have lived in Zambia for generations involved in retail and manufacturing.

9. Madagascar

Madagascar has about 125,000 Asian population. They are majorly dominated by Chinese and Indo-Pakistani communities running shops that sell businesses and medical facilities in Antananarivo and Thomasina. Some Chinese operated in railway community projects in the early 20th century, but today, their impact can be majorly seen in agriculture-related ventures.

8. Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone has an Asian population of 150,000 despite its small size. Indian and Lebanese traders majorly dominate its commercial businesses, especially in Freetown. The Lebanese in Sierra Leone have been around during the colonial era which is over a century now. They majorly operate in the retail, construction, and hospitality sectors. Sierra Leone's post-conflict economy has now provided new avenues for Asian migration and Investments.

7. Kenya

Kenya’s Asian population is very historical. During British colonial rule in the early 1900s, Indians were brought in to construct the Kenya-Uganda railway. We have about 170,000 Asians now in Kenya, majorly residing in Nairobi, Kisumu, and Mombasa. The Indians majorly dominate in the manufacturing, banking, and pharmaceutical sectors, while the Chinese dominate in the construction and infrastructure of housing and roads.

6. Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast has about 300,000 Asians in the country. The Asians are growing rapidly in cities like Abidjan. They are recent Chinese migrants and older Lebanese families. The older Lebanese families are more concentrated in business sectors, including retail and real estate. While the new Chinese migrants are majorly involved in construction, electronics, and mining. In West Africa, Ivory Coast remains one of the growing countries for Asian investors and entrepreneurs.

5. Egypt

Egypt has an Asian population of about 310,000. The Asians majorly include Filipino workers, Chinese engineers, and Indian professionals. There is a steady flow of Asian investment and labor and this can be attributed to the Suez Canal and Cairo’s expanding tech sector. The geographic positioning of Egypt has also made it a bridge between Asia and Africa, facilitating trade routes that encourage migration. The Chinese community dominates the infrastructure and real estate sector in Egypt.

4. Sudan

Sudan's Asian population is about 324,000. The Chinese are mostly dominant here; this is due to the petroleum exploration that led to their migration to Sudan in the 1900s. As of today, they are still dominant in the Oil and construction industries. In major cities like Khartoum, the Pakistani and Indian communities majorly run the hospital and retail chains.

3. Mauritius

Mauritius has a very high population of Asians with about 929,000 Asian population. The island's culture, politics, and economy are highly dominated by the Indo-Mauritania community. The Indo Mauritania were historically brought in by the British as enslaved laborers after slavery was abolished in the 19th century. Hinduism, Islam, and various Indian languages have spread widely in Mauritius, making it one of the most culturally dominant African Asia-populated countries.

2. Nigeria

Nigeria has about 945,000 Asian population. The Asians are majorly dominated by Chinese, Indians, and Lebanese, and they help in the economic development of the country. Chinese communities are rising in telecommunications and construction, Indian merchant communities dominate the pharmaceutical and textile markets in Kano and Lagos, while Lebanese keep dominating the food and hospitality sectors. For Asian investors, Nigeria has always been a hotspot due to its large population and consumer market.

1. South Africa

Topping the list is South Africa with about 1 million Asians active population. Historically, the Indian South Africans were brought in by the British during the 19th century as sugar plantation workers in KwaZulu-Natal. The Indian community is largely involved in politics, business, and media, especially in Durban. While the Chinese South Africans largely dominated in trade, mining, and electronics in Johannesburg and Cape Town. South Africa's global connection, infrastructure, and legal frameworks continue to make it a hotspot for Asian migration and Investments.