Industry body the Steel Tube Export Association of South Africa (Steasa) will participate in an outward selling mission (OSM) to Nigeria and Ghana from August 25 to 30 as part of efforts to strengthen trade and investment ties between South Africa and key West African economies.

Steasa was established to develop sustainable, internationally competitive carbon steel tube and pipe export markets for South African manufacturers.

The association's participation in the mission is set to reinforce South Africa’s drive for industrialisation, job creation and growth of beneficiated exports, says the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), which is facilitating the mission.

Steasa aims to expand its presence in West Africa, particularly within the hydraulic and pneumatic sectors as well as mining industries, says Steasa CEO Keitumetse Moumakoe.

“We want to expand our value-added services into two of the biggest markets in West Africa. The structured platform provided by the dtic will enable us to engage with companies operating in the hydraulic space, where demand for our products and services continues to grow,” he notes.

Specifically, the association will showcase a range of specialised engineering and reconditioning services, including honing, chroming, boring, bronze plating, precision grinding and welding.

Its product line features high-end solutions such as cylinder rods, honed barrels, chrome bars, honed tubes, hydraulic cylinder kits and conveyance pipes used in oil, gas and bulk water infrastructure.

Additionally, Nigeria and Ghana are attractive entry points into the region’s industrial value chains, says Moumakoe.

“Nigeria and Ghana are gateways to West Africa. Their rapid industrialisation and expanding mining activities make them sound markets for our products and services. We already have representation in Ghana and, through this mission, we are seeking to establish a solid footprint in Nigeria,” he explains.

“We are looking forward to generating requests for quotations, signing partnership agreements and exploring requests for local investment. These outcomes will not only benefit our company and employees but also contribute to South Africa’s export revenue and industrial development,” he adds.

Further, the association views the mission as part of a broader continental shift toward deeper trade integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement.

“The AfCFTA provides an opportunity for African companies like ours to displace imports from non-African markets. Competitiveness will be key to unlocking demand in these sectors and, through this mission, we aim to position ourselves strategically to benefit from the trade framework,” he says.

Meanwhile, the OSM is part of the dtic’s Export Marketing and Investment Assistance programme, which supports South African companies in developing new export markets and attracting investment.

Through this initiative, the dtic aims to deepen economic diplomacy and position South Africa as a reliable trade partner within the framework of the AfCFTA Agreement, the department says.