Alkagesta’s steel trading business, Alkavex, is targeting infrastructure-led demand in Africa as rising Chinese exports intensify competition across global steel markets, according to Alkagesta Newsroom. The company says its expansion draws on established customer relationships and depends on coordinating financing, shipping and supply, rather than competing on price alone.
Citing the OECD’s Steel Outlook 2026, the newsroom reported that Chinese steel exports increased by 13.8% in 2025 to a record 131.2 million tonnes. That contrasted with a 6.2% decline in global steel exports excluding intra-regional trade. China accounted for 41% of world steel exports in 2025, up from 19% in 2019. Deputy CEO Nijat Osmanli said Chinese supply frequently serves as buyers’ pricing benchmark, putting pressure on competing producers and their margins.
African demand provides a growth opportunity against that competitive backdrop. According to the newsroom’s account of Worldsteel’s April 2026 outlook, steel demand on the continent is forecast to rise by 3.8% in 2026 and 4.6% in 2027. Separately, the OECD estimated growth of 16.1% in 2025, followed by an expected slowdown to 4.4% in 2026. CEO Jean-Pierre Artigala linked the company’s African focus to urbanisation and investment needs in housing, transport and industrial development.
Alkavex identified wire rods, beams, hot-rolled coil, tubes and merchant bars among its strongest-selling products in 2026, alongside grinding balls used by the mining sector. The company said payment arrangements, infrastructure constraints and logistics make execution particularly important in African markets. In one transaction described by the newsroom, meeting a customer’s project deadline depended on vessel availability and shipment scheduling rather than a lower purchase price.
Freight disruption and raw material volatility remain risks. Alkagesta Newsroom said a weekend of disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz affected steel prices and freight rates. CFO Sylvain Artigala emphasised transaction-level financial controls to manage exposure to policy changes and raw material movements. The company is also expanding into South America through access to Chinese-origin supply, while Alkagesta’s petroleum products relationships in Türkiye and Eastern Europe provide market knowledge and counterparties for the steel business’s entry into neighbouring territories.