New projections made about Africa’s economic story in 2026 are based on nominal GDP estimates that place a familiar group of countries at the top, but the deeper story lies in why these economies are leading and what it signals about Africa’s future growth path.

The Netherlands has emerged as the world’s largest hot chocolate exporter, which accounts for 23.5% of global exports and is valued at approximately $813 million, according to the World’s Top Exports.

In today’s global economy, one tonne of cocoa and one tonne of steel capture two very different kinds of value. The price of a tonne of cocoa is shown at around US$6,100, whereas a tonne of steel is marked at US$432.96.