Alkagesta’s steel trading arm, Alkavex, is focusing on African infrastructure demand as rising Chinese exports put pressure on international steel pricing. In a company-published market outlook, Alkagesta said financing, payment terms and shipment coordination were central to its approach, alongside expansion into South America supported by access to Chinese-origin steel.
Citing the OECD’s Steel Outlook 2026, Alkagesta reported that Chinese steel exports increased by 13.8% in 2025 to a record 131.2 million tonnes. Global steel exports, excluding intra-regional trade, declined by 6.2% over the same period. China’s share of worldwide exports rose from 19% in 2019 to 41% in 2025, according to the figures cited. Deputy chief executive Nijat Osmanli said Chinese supply frequently served as buyers’ pricing benchmark, creating competitive pressure on other producers and their margins.
The company contrasted that supply pressure with projected African consumption growth. It cited Worldsteel’s April 2026 outlook, which forecast African steel demand rising by 3.8% in 2026 and 4.6% in 2027. Separately, the OECD figures presented in the report put growth at 16.1% in 2025, easing to 4.4% in 2026. Chief executive Jean-Pierre Artigala linked the company’s African strategy to urbanisation and investment in housing, transport and industrial development. Alkagesta identified wire rods, beams, hot-rolled coil, tubes and merchant bars among Alkavex’s strongest-selling products in 2026, alongside mining-related grinding balls.
Alkagesta said transactions depended on more than the quoted steel price: specifications, documentation, mill approvals, logistics and financing could all determine whether a deal proceeded. It described one recent transaction in which vessel availability and shipment scheduling were decisive in meeting a customer’s project deadline, without naming the customer or disclosing commercial terms. Chief financial officer Sylvain Artigala said the business sought to assess transaction risks before committing, given the speed at which policy changes and raw-material movements could alter margins.
The company also identified freight disruption, trade restrictions and price volatility as risks over the next six to twelve months. It said established petroleum-product relationships in Türkiye and Eastern Europe provided counterparty contacts and market knowledge for steel expansion into neighbouring markets. These growth and execution assessments reflect Alkagesta’s own account of its business and market positioning.