Multi-year investment spans Express, Global Forwarding, and Supply Chain, with targeted upgrades to gateways, air capacity, cold-chain, and transport-led solutions.
DHL Group has announced a planned investment of more than €300 million in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), positioning the company to expand infrastructure, enhance service capabilities, and support sectors including e-commerce, perishables, energy, and life sciences & healthcare.
Why DHL is Investing Now
DHL frames the move against rising regional integration and resilient cross-border flows. According to the company, the latest DHL Global Connectedness Tracker shows that SSA led all world regions in H1 2025 with a 10% year-on-year increase in trade value (in US dollars). Forecasts as of September 2025 indicate SSA trade volume growth averaging 4.3% per year over 2025–2029, second-fastest globally.
Express: Gateways, Uplift, and Second-City Coverage
DHL Express will upgrade gateways, add aviation uplift, and extend time-definite coverage into second cities emerging as demand centers under AfCFTA. According to, DHL the company is “the only integrator with a dedicated air network in Sub-Saharan Africa,” and this network will link these cities more tightly to Africa-Europe and Africa-Asia lanes. Growth in Ethiopia and Nigeria is referenced as part of this network build-out.
“Africa is at a pivotal moment in its trade journey,” said John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express. “Despite global volatility, the continent continues to show resilience and momentum. Our investment reflects confidence in Africa’s trajectory and DHL’s commitment to enabling the trade flows that drive inclusive growth. By strengthening our network and capabilities, we aim to make it easier for African businesses, from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to large corporates, to compete on the world stage.”
Hennie Heymans, CEO, DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, added that the focus is on proximity and reliability: businesses “are asking for predictable transit times, consistent delivery performance and support that understands local conditions.”
Global Forwarding: Energy, Cold-Chain, and Life Sciences
DHL Global Forwarding will strengthen solutions in energy and industrial projects, enhance cold-chain and perishables logistics, and scale expertise in life sciences and healthcare with specialized temperature-controlled transport. Amadou Diallo, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Middle East & Africa, said the division is adding “deeper local expertise and enhanced digital tools” to improve reliability and visibility “from origin to destination.”
Supply Chain: Capacity and Transport-Led Solutions
DHL Supply Chain will add capacity and transport-led solutions with a focus on the transporter sector and life sciences and healthcare in South Africa, including additional temperature-sensitive capability and fast-moving fulfilment as supply chains mature. Orkun Saruhanoglu, CEO, DHL Supply Chain Middle East & Africa, said these steps will help customers “improve service quality, manage risk and scale with confidence.”
Enablers: SME Support and Digitalization
Beyond hard infrastructure, DHL highlights its GoTrade initiative to equip SMEs with training and customs expertise. The company is also piloting renewable energy and alternative fuels across SSA facilities and advancing digitalization, including “AI-enabled monitoring, route optimization, and digital customs tools”, to reduce cross-border friction.
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