Ethiopia led services exports among least-developed countries in 2024

Sunday 8th November 2026

By inAfrika Newsroom

Ethiopia was the largest exporter of commercial services among least-developed countries in 2024, accounting for 17% of the group’s exports, according to a joint report from the World Trade Organization and the OECD. Tanzania was second at 15%.

The two organisations published the report on 29 October. It puts total commercial services exports from least-developed countries at about $47 billion in 2024, up from $9.5 billion in 2006.

Ethiopia’s share rose from 7% in 2006, while Tanzania’s increased from 12%, according to the report’s trade chapter. Bangladesh ranked third in 2024 at 11%, followed by Cambodia at 10% and Uganda at 4%. The five countries together accounted for 57% of the group’s exports, compared with 48% for the five largest exporters in 2006.

Commercial services exports include transactions such as international transport and spending by foreign visitors. Across the group, transport’s share of services exports climbed from 18% in 2006 to 35% in 2024, while travel’s share slipped from 45% to 41%. Those figures describe the group as a whole.

The group still accounted for about 0.54% of global commercial services exports in 2024, according to WTO calculations based on WTO and UN Trade and Development estimates. Its commercial services imports reached about $90 billion that year.

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