1. The picture
Africa has the fewest parties among the continents where China’s export volume is large.
2. The parties
South Africa. Several smaller states, including a number in southern and eastern Africa.
Most North and West African markets are not.
3. The legalisation markets
Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Angola, Mozambique.
4. The consequence
For most of Africa’s larger markets, the four-link chain remains.
5. The exceptions to watch
Some African states have acceded recently, and the practice in their missions takes time to change.
Confirm with the mission and with the importer before assuming that accession has become operation.
6. The translation
French for francophone Africa, Portuguese for Angola and Mozambique, Arabic for the north.
7. The additional certifications
Conformity and pre-shipment inspection regimes are common, and they run alongside authentication.
8. A scenario
An exporter read that a West African state had acceded and apostilled the documents.
The mission had not yet changed its process, and the documents were returned for legalisation.
9. Closing view
Accession and operational practice are different dates.
For Africa, allow for the gap.
*This article is based on the Apostille Convention status table, updated October 2026.*