Logistics major DHL Express has reported an increase in profits from Africa due to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Implemented in 2000, the AGOA provides exporters in Africa duty-free access to US markets. DHL Express, in particular, has reported a significant increase in their trade volumes in sub-Saharan Africa.

Charles Brewer, managing director of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, said, “Trade lanes in Africa have increased significantly as a result of relieved trade barriers, which have had a positive impact on many local businesses. A key driver of this growth has been the AGOA, which has stimulated trade and investment between Africa and the United States.”

Figures releases by the US Department of Commerce-International Trade Administration stated that in 2013, US imports from sub-Saharan Africa under AGOA amounted to US$39.3bn.

Trade lanes from Nigeria, Angola and South Africa were the most profitable for DHL Express, as they accounted for profits worth US$28.42mn. The company witnessed an increase in trade in manufacturing, apparel and footwear, and secondary sectors dependent on agriculture, petroleum and natural gases.

Brewer revealed that the company has plans to expand in Africa. In the first half of 2014, DHL Express noted a “robust growth” in the energy sector in Cameroon, Gabon and DR Congo. The company now plans to capitalise on the technology sector across Africa too.