On October 15, 2025, multinational logistics giant DHL Group announced at the "Global Trade Change - Focusing on Africa" media event held in Johannesburg that it will implement a strategic investment plan worth over 300 million euros over multiple years in sub Saharan Africa. This investment will cover the three major business units of DHL Supply Chain, DHL Express, and DHL Global Freight. By expanding infrastructure and enhancing service capabilities, it will help upgrade the supply chain system in Africa and create new development opportunities for key industries such as e-commerce, perishable goods, energy, life sciences, and healthcare.

DHL Supply Chain: Strengthening Professional Logistics Service Capability

In the supply chain sector, DHL will focus on increasing warehouse capacity and transportation led solutions, particularly in the life sciences, healthcare, and transportation industries. With the continuous growth of demand for third-party logistics services in core markets such as South Africa, the company will strengthen its temperature sensitive logistics capabilities to support the rapid turnover and precise fulfillment of critical medical supplies. As the South African economy recovers and supply chains become more complex, there is a significant increase in demand for specialized outsourced logistics from businesses. We will help customers improve service quality, manage risks, and achieve sustainable expansion by enhancing operational capabilities and contract logistics expertise, "said Orkun Saruanoglu, CEO of DHL Supply Chain Middle East and Africa

DHL Express: Building an efficient regional connectivity network

As the only comprehensive logistics provider in sub Saharan Africa with an exclusive air network, DHL Express will invest in upgrading regional hub gateways, increasing air transport capacity, and expanding its service scope to second tier cities emerging under the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area. The company plans to leverage the growth momentum of countries such as Ethiopia and Nigeria to further open up key trade channels between Africa Europe and Africa Asia. Our goal is to bring customers closer and make cross-border transportation simpler and more reliable. As trade expands, businesses need more predictable shipping times, stable delivery performance, and localized support. We will help more African companies efficiently participate in global competition, "said Henny Heymans, CEO of DHL Express in Sub Saharan Africa

DHL Global Freight: Driving Trade Growth in Key Industries

DHL Global Freight will focus its investment on key areas such as energy, industry, and agriculture that drive Africa's trade growth. The department will expand its service capabilities in energy transformation projects, enhance the cold chain and perishable logistics level of agricultural and horticultural exporters, and further consolidate its advantages in life sciences and medical logistics through professional temperature controlled transportation. Amadou Diallo, CEO of the Middle East and Africa, stated that the company is strengthening its full chain visibility and control from the origin to the destination of goods by deepening local expertise and digital tools.

In addition to investing in hardware facilities, DHL is also committed to promoting sustainable trade development in the African region. Through the GoTrade program, the company provides customs expertise and international market access training for small and medium-sized enterprises. At the same time, DHL is piloting renewable energy and alternative fuel projects in multiple facilities south of the Sahara, and utilizing artificial intelligence monitoring, route optimization, and digital customs tools to improve logistics efficiency and reduce cross-border trade barriers.

This investment is another significant regional layout for DHL, following its investment of 500 million euros in the Middle East region in June this year, and is also an important implementation of its 2030 strategy in growth markets. With the deepening of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the evolution of the global supply chain landscape, DHL is strengthening its network advantages in Africa through systematic investment. While participating in shaping the future of logistics in Africa, it also provides key infrastructure support for local enterprises to integrate into the global trading system.Editor/Cheng Liting