– Soybean Oil Production refers to the total quantity of oil produced from processed soybeans within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes.
Africa Soybean Oil Production was 1,460 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 10.8% on 2022. The Africa Soybean Oil Production dataset provides a comprehensive assessment of the region's soybean oil manufacturing performance and the development of its edible oil processing industry between 2015 and 2023.
Africa Soybean Oil Production moved from 738 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 1,460 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+97.8%), an average of +8.9% a year. The series high was 1,637 Thousand Tonnes in 2022 and the low 649.4 Thousand Tonnes in 2016.
The gap between the series high (2022) and low (2016) is 987.7 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was +34.6% in 2018.
Within Africa, Egypt has the highest value in 2023 at 394.1 Thousand Tonnes, 27% of the regional total.
Country ranking
Thousand Tonnes. Sort by any column, or search for a country.
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| Rank↕ | Country↕ | Share of top | Thousand Tonnes↕ | vs 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egypt | 394.1 | −41.4% | |
| 2 | South Africa | 322.9 | +7.7% | |
| 3 | Nigeria | 140.5 | +5.2% |
Full series
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Thousand Tonnes.
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| Year | Thousand Tonnes | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,460 | −10.8% |
| 2022Peak | 1,637 | +6.7% |
| 2021 | 1,535 | +7.3% |
| 2020 | 1,431 | +16.1% |
| 2019 | 1,233 | +18% |
| 2018 | 1,045 | +34.6% |
| 2017 | 776.2 | +19.5% |
| 2016 Trough | 649.4 | −12% |
| 2015 | 738 | — |
Data definition
Soybean Oil Production — – Soybean Oil Production refers to the total quantity of oil produced from processed soybeans within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the scale of soybean processing and edible oil manufacturing and is used to assess agricultural processing capacity, oilseed utilization, and the performance of the vegetable oil industry. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The data includes the annual production of soybean oil extracted from soybeans through mechanical pressing and solvent extraction processes. It covers crude and refined soybean oil produced for human consumption, food manufacturing, industrial applications, and export. The figures represent domestic production compiled from official agricultural and food processing statistics and standardized by the FAO to ensure international comparability across countries and years.
The data excludes soybean cultivation and production, soybean meal, biodiesel production, other vegetable oils (such as palm, sunflower, rapeseed, or olive oil), soy-based food products, imports and exports of soybean oil, and stock changes. It also excludes informal or unrecorded production not captured in official agricultural statistics and losses occurring during storage, transportation, or distribution after production.
Soybean Oil Production — – Soybean Oil Production refers to the total quantity of oil produced from processed soybeans within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the scale of soybean processing and edible oil manufacturing and is used to assess agricultural processing capacity, oilseed utilization, and the performance of the vegetable oil industry. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Measured in Thousand Tonnes, the dataset serves as a key benchmark for evaluating oilseed processing capacity, soybean utilization, agricultural productivity, food manufacturing output, supply chain efficiency, and the performance of Africa's edible oil sector. Based on the validated data, soybean oil production across Africa showed a strong overall upward trend despite moderate fluctuations. Regional production declined from 738.03 thousand tonnes in 2015 to 649.40 thousand tonnes in 2016, before recovering to 776.15 thousand tonnes in 2017 and increasing further to 1,044.68 thousand tonnes in 2018. Output continued to expand to 1,232.75 thousand tonnes in 2019, 1,430.78 thousand tonnes in 2020, and 1,534.82 thousand tonnes in 2021, reaching a study-period high of 1,637.13 thousand tonnes in 2022 before moderating to 1,459.65 thousand tonnes in 2023. Throughout the study period, Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria remained the leading soybean oil producers, while other African countries collectively contributed an increasing share of regional production. Overall, the dataset highlights the expansion of Africa's soybean processing industry, supported by growing edible oil production capacity and increasing agricultural value addition across the region. It provides valuable insights into production trends, manufacturing performance, and industry development. The dataset supports year-over-year analysis, regional and global benchmarking, and long-term forecasting. Policymakers, soybean processors, edible oil manufacturers, agricultural producers, exporters, investors, market analysts, and researchers can use the data to assess production performance, monitor industry trends, identify investment opportunities, improve processing efficiency, strengthen supply chain resilience, and support evidence-based strategies for sustainable growth across Africa's soybean oil value chain.
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Definition – Soybean Oil Production refers to the total quantity of oil produced from processed soybeans within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the scale of soybean processing and edible oil manufacturing and is used to assess agricultural processing capacity, oilseed utilization, and the performance of the vegetable oil industry. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Africa Soybean Oil Production was 1,460 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 10.8% on 2022.
Africa Soybean Oil Production moved from 738 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 1,460 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+97.8%), an average of +8.9% a year. The series high was 1,637 Thousand Tonnes in 2022 and the low 649.4 Thousand Tonnes in 2016.
The highest value was 1,637 Thousand Tonnes in 2022 and the lowest was 649.4 Thousand Tonnes in 2016.
Included: The data includes the annual production of soybean oil extracted from soybeans through mechanical pressing and solvent extraction processes. It covers crude and refined soybean oil produced for human consumption, food manufacturing, industrial applications, and export. The figures represent domestic production compiled from official agricultural and food processing statistics and standardized by the FAO to ensure international comparability across countries and years. Excluded: The data excludes soybean cultivation and production, soybean meal, biodiesel production, other vegetable oils (such as palm, sunflower, rapeseed, or olive oil), soy-based food products, imports and exports of soybean oil, and stock changes. It also excludes informal or unrecorded production not captured in official agricultural statistics and losses occurring during storage, transportation, or distribution after production.
The series is sourced from Our World in Data (https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/global-food?time=2023&country=USA~DEU~FRA~GBR~BRA~ZAF%3BhideControls&Food=Soybean+oil&Metric=Production&Per+capita=false). It covers 2015–2023 and is reported in Thousand Tonnes.
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