(Yicai) Oct. 15 -- Some USD80 million worth of cooperation agreements were signed between Chinese firms and African buyers at the China International Hardware Show, demonstrating the rising demand for Chinese hardware products in Africa.

Buyers from Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, and other African countries inked cooperation deals for hardware products at the CIHS, which was held from Oct. 10 to 12 in Shanghai, attracting more than 2,800 exhibitors.

China is becoming the world's largest producer and exporter of hardware products, while Africa is emerging as a new export destination for Chinese hardware products.

Chinese goods are very popular in Africa, and demand for hardware products is among the fastest-growing, a trader from Egypt told Yicai at the CIHS. "With the rapid expansion of local manufacturing, market demand for hardware products in Africa has seen a significant growth."

Africa has huge consumer potential due to its rapidly growing population, the Egyptian trader noted, adding that the emergence of e-commerce logistics systems in the continent has also shortened the time to deliver products directly to African consumers.

Compared to Europe and the United States, China offers a wider variety of hardware, building materials, production equipment, and construction machinery, a trader from South Africa told Yicai. Moreover, these goods are higher-quality and have more attractive prices.

China has already been South Africa's largest source of imported hardware tools last year, accounting for nearly 47 percent of the country's total imports last year.

"Chinese products are very popular in Africa," the Egyptian trader said. "Our company has offices in Yiwu and Guangzhou," he noted, adding that in addition to hardware products, it also trades consumer electronics and electric vehicles.

Chinese manufacturers of hardware tools are mostly small- and medium-sized enterprises, so they need to join hands to effectively expand overseas, forming a collaborative ecosystem.

While exploring the African market, Chinese firms should cooperate with European SMEs to fully leverage each other's strengths, Xavier Michon-Lehnebach, chairman of the Global Alliance of SMEs, told Yicai. European companies have a strong cultural and business cooperation ties in Africa, while Chinese ones excel in product manufacturing and innovation capabilities, he added.

Chinese firms should collaborate with French peers, for example, leveraging the latter's existing retail network in Africa and jointly exploring African markets, to significantly reduce risks and increase the likelihood of success, Michon-Lehnebach noted.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Futura Costaglione