Steel output in African countries fell in November

Crude steel production in Africa recorded a modest decline throughout November this year, mainly due to a decline in production in South Africa, one of the main steel producing countries in the region. However, in Egypt and Libya, production increased over the previous year. Total production in the region has dropped significantly in the first eleven months of this year.

The monthly crude steel production data released by the World Steel Association (worldsteel) shows African production at 1.068 million tonnes (Mt), down 3.0% from the previous year. According to the region, in November last year, the total production amounted to 1.101 million tons.

Egypt continued to be the largest steel producer in the region, with an estimated production of 672,000 tonnes of crude steel. The country accounted for almost 63% of all regional production. The country's monthly steel production grew significantly by 11.2% over the same month a year earlier. The second largest producer, South Africa, reported a 24.4% y /y decline from 431,000 tons to 326,000 tons. Meanwhile, production in Libya rose 6.7% year on year.

Aggregate steel production by African countries in the first eleven months of 2020 was 11.241 million tons, down about 14% from the 13.081 million tons produced between January and November 1919.