Praia, Feb. 16, 2026 (Lusa) - Cabo Verde's exports increased by 18.2% last year compared to 2024, while imports grew by 5%, according to provisional data released by the National Statistics Institute (INE) on Monday.

The trade deficit worsened by 4.4%, although the coverage rate improved by 0.5 percentage points.

The total value of exports rose from 7.94 billion escudos (€72 million) to 9.386 billion escudos (€85.1 million), representing an increase of 18.2% compared to 2024.

Re-exports, on the other hand, fell slightly by 2.2%.

Europe absorbed 95.4% of Cabo Verde's exports.

Sales in Europe rose from 7,517 million escudos (€68.2 million) to 8,955 million escudos (€81.2 million), an increase of 19.1%.

Africa, despite representing only 2.4% of the total, recorded a significant increase of 156.8%, driven mainly by exports of other stonework or construction stones to The Gambia.

Trade with the rest of the world grew by 7.9%, while exports to America and Asia and Oceania fell by 40.1% and 31.5%, respectively.

Spain remained the main destination, accounting for 63% of exports in 2025, followed by Italy (12.1%) and Portugal (11.2%).

Fish preparations and preserves continued to lead exports, accounting for 75.4% of the total, although they recorded a 3.5 percentage-point decline in their relative weight compared to the previous year.

RS/ADB // ADB.

Lusa