Ethiopia Leads Least-Developed Services Exports
Service exporters should expect more competition from a few fast-growing economies, led by Ethiopia.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in International Trade
A joint World Trade Organization and OECD report found that Ethiopia was the largest services exporter among least-developed countries in 2024, with 17% of the group's total. The report, published 29 October 2026, shows least-developed country services exports rising from US$9.5 billion in 2006 to US$47 billion in 2024, which matters for service firms and trade advisers who track emerging-market competition.
Why it matters
The data show least-developed countries are gaining a slightly larger slice of global services trade, but they remain a tiny share of the market. For operators, that means growing competition from lower-cost service providers in a few concentrated economies, alongside a looming question about how much donor-funded trade support those economies will keep receiving.
Least-developed countries' services imports reached US$90 billion in 2024, nearly double their exports. The top five exporters supplied 57% of the group's services trade, with Ethiopia (17%), Tanzania (15%), Bangladesh (11%), Cambodia (10%) and Uganda (4%) leading.
The players
World Trade Organization (WTO)
The Geneva-based body that sets and enforces the rules of international trade among its member governments.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
A Paris-based policy forum of mostly high-income economies that publishes trade, investment and development statistics and analysis.
Ethiopia
A large East African economy that is now the leading services exporter among least-developed countries.
The details
The figures come from a joint WTO and OECD report, with shares for individual countries applied to the group's total. Services exports from least-developed countries grew at an average of 7.7% a year between 2006 and 2024, yet their share of world services exports reached only 0.54% in 2024. Concentration is rising: the top five countries accounted for a larger share of the group's total than they did in 2006, meaning gains are flowing to fewer economies.
Timeline
2006: baseline year, when Ethiopia held 7% of group services exports.
2024: Ethiopia ranked first with 17% of group services exports.
29 October 2026: WTO and OECD joint report on services exports published.
29 and 30 October 2026: report presented at the WTO Global Review of Aid for Trade in Geneva.
Market Landscape
Between 2006 and 2024, least-developed country services exports grew from US$9.5 billion to US$47 billion, a trend tracked in the joint WTO and OECD report series. The group's share of world services trade still stands at only 0.54%, showing how far these economies remain from the mainstream of global services commerce.
Service firms competing in global markets should watch for rising competition from lower-cost providers in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Bangladesh and Cambodia. Businesses that rely on donor-funded trade programs should track the outlook for aid budgets after 2026, since those decisions will shape how much support these exporters receive.
The takeaway
Trade advisers should file the 2025 services export figures when they are published to see whether Ethiopia keeps its lead among least-developed countries. Firms that rely on donor-funded trade support should review their exposure to the projected drop of about 22% in bilateral Aid for Trade between 2024 and 2026.
Further reading
For broader context on how these trends fit into global commerce, see our coverage of International Trade.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Rio Times.
