The twenty imports Guinea is best placed to replace.
Guinea imported USD 6.2bn of manufactured goods in 2024 and exported USD 13m. These are the twenty that sit closest to what it already makes well, with how concentrated the supply of each is.
Demand, capability, exposure. Nothing else is claimed.
Each line shows the import bill, where it comes from, the nearest thing Guinea already exports well, and how many countries make it. It does not say whether a plant in Guinea would pay. That reason is not in any trade record, and it is the maker's question.
This edition is trade and capability only, scored out of 8. The UK edition adds which public bodies buy each product and which region holds the capability; those layers are built only where a country publishes contract awards and regional trade, and Guinea does not publish them in a form this record can read yet.
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1
Sugars: sucrose, chemically pure, in solid form, not containing added flavouring or colouring matterHS 170199
Comes fromBrazil 75%, 16 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recordedCountries that export it well44Score 8 of 8: import bill USD 195m, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 8 per cent (3); Brazil supplies 75 per cent (2).
USD 195mup 97% on 2022 -
2
Footwear: n.e.c. in heading no. 6402, (other than just covering the ankle), with outer soles and uppers of rubber or...HS 640299
Comes fromChina 76%, 14 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this lineUSD 11k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 13mCountries that export it well16Score 8 of 8: import bill USD 95m, top 6 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 3 per cent (3); China supplies 76 per cent (2).
USD 95mup 96% on 2022 -
3
Iron or non-alloy steel: bars and rods, hot-rolled, hot-drawn or hot-extruded, containing indentations, ribs, grooves...HS 721420
Comes fromChina 85%, 7 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recordedCountries that export it well45Score 8 of 8: import bill USD 84m, top 6 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 6 per cent (3); China supplies 85 per cent (2).
USD 84mup 108% on 2022 -
4
Cigarettes: containing tobaccoHS 240220
Comes fromPoland 76%, 8 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this lineUSD 1kCountries that export it well41Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 45m, top 17 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 10 per cent (3); Poland supplies 76 per cent (2).
USD 45mdown 62% on 2022 -
5
Motorcycles (including mopeds) and cycles: fitted with an auxiliary motor, internal combustion piston engine, of...HS 871120
Comes fromIndia 66%, 15 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this lineUSD 337kCountries that export it well12Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 142m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 45 per cent (1); India supplies 66 per cent (2).
USD 142mup 21% on 2022 -
6
Food preparations: of flour, meal, starch, malt extract or milk products, for uses n.e.c. in heading no. 1901HS 190190
Comes fromIreland 55%, 19 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this lineUSD 3kCountries that export it well39Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 59m, top 10 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 10 per cent (2); Ireland supplies 55 per cent (1).
USD 59mdown 4% on 2022 -
7
Vehicles: dumpers, designed for off-highway use, for transport of goodsHS 870410
Comes fromChina 98%, 4 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recorded; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 172mCountries that export it well21Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 44m, top 17 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 25 per cent (2); China supplies 98 per cent (2).
USD 44mup 330% on 2022 -
8
Cement clinkers (whether or not coloured)HS 252310
Comes fromEgypt 47%, 7 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 23mCountries that export it well36Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 40m, top 20 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 1 per cent (3); Egypt supplies 47 per cent (1).
USD 40mdown 29% on 2022 -
9
T-shirts, singlets and other vests: of textile materials (other than cotton), knitted or crochetedHS 610990
Comes fromChina 94%, 18 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recordedCountries that export it well41Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 34m, top 26 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 4 per cent (3); China supplies 94 per cent (2).
USD 34mup 120% on 2022 -
10
Reception apparatus for television, whether or not incorporating radio-broadcast receivers or sound or video recording...HS 852872
Comes fromIvory Coast 65%, 27 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this lineUSD 2kCountries that export it well17Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 58m, top 10 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 45 per cent (1); Ivory Coast supplies 65 per cent (2).
USD 58mup 273% on 2022 -
11
Cement, concrete or artificial stone: articles (other than prefabricated structural components for building or civil...HS 681099
Comes fromChina 96%, 8 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recordedCountries that export it well22Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 51m, top 13 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 31 per cent (1); China supplies 96 per cent (2).
USD 51mfrom USD 4m in 2022 -
12
Soups and broths and preparations thereforHS 210410
Comes fromIvory Coast 48%, 13 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this lineUSD 3kCountries that export it well31Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 38m, top 21 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 18 per cent (2); Ivory Coast supplies 48 per cent (1).
USD 38mup 158% on 2022 -
13
Sauces and preparations therefor: mixed condiments and mixed seasoningsHS 210390
Comes fromBelgium 50%, 20 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this lineUSD 3kCountries that export it well45Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 37m, top 22 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 15 per cent (2); Belgium supplies 50 per cent (1).
USD 37mdown 13% on 2022 -
14
Iron or non-alloy steel: bars and rods, hot-rolled, in irregularly wound coils, n.e.c. in heading no. 7213, of...HS 721391
Comes fromChina 84%, 3 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 14mCountries that export it well31Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 30m, top 33 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 19 per cent (2); China supplies 84 per cent (2).
USD 30mup 132% on 2022 -
15
Ceramic flooring blocks, supports or filler tiles and the like (excluding building bricks)HS 690490
Comes fromChina 100%, 4 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recordedCountries that export it well17Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 29m, top 34 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 25 per cent (2); China supplies 100 per cent (2).
USD 29mdown 49% on 2022 -
16
Ceramic tiles: flags and paving, hearth or wall tiles other than those of subheadings 6907.30 and 6907.40, of a water...HS 690723
Comes fromSenegal 77%, 10 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 18mCountries that export it well25Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 24m, top 40 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 13 per cent (2); Senegal supplies 77 per cent (2).
USD 24mup 215% on 2022 -
17
Bulldozers and angledozers: self-propelled, track layingHS 842911
Comes fromChina 91%, 6 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recorded; 4 more lines in the heading, USD 220mCountries that export it well18Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 24m, top 40 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 18 per cent (2); China supplies 91 per cent (2).
USD 24mup 204% on 2022 -
18
Trousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches and shorts: women's or girls', of cotton (not knitted or crocheted)HS 620462
Comes fromChina 100%, 6 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recordedCountries that export it well29Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 20m, top 50 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 18 per cent (2); China supplies 100 per cent (2).
USD 20mup 276% on 2022 -
19
Fish preparations: sardines, sardinella and brisling or sprats, prepared or preserved, whole or in pieces (but not...HS 160413
Comes fromMorocco 94%, 9 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this lineUSD 9kCountries that export it well19Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 18m, top 53 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 7 per cent (3); Morocco supplies 94 per cent (2).
USD 18mup 63% on 2022 -
20
Paper and paperboard: sacks and bags of paper, paperboard, cellulose wadding or fibres, having a base of a width of...HS 481930
Comes fromMorocco 87%, 7 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recordedCountries that export it well36Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 16m, top 67 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Guinea's export strengths in the top 6 per cent (3); Morocco supplies 87 per cent (2).
USD 16mup 148% on 2022
One line per customs heading. Products Guinea already exports well and still imports are below, because they are a different conversation. No employment figures appear on this page, by decision.
Scale conversations, not capability ones.
No line where the country already exports well and still imports more than it sells abroad.
Three scores, each from a field the record carries.
Import bill, 0 to 3, by percentile among the 126 lines imported at USD 10m or more: above the median one point, top quarter two, top tenth three.
Proximity to export strengths, 0 to 3, on the same percentiles: the product-space method (Hidalgo, Klinger, Barabasi and Hausmann, Science 2007) on CEPII's BACI file of every bilateral trade flow for 2024, 157 countries and 5,388 products. Two products are close when the countries that export one well tend to export the other well. Only products in the upper half for proximity can enter the list at all: best placed is a proximity claim.
Supply concentration, 0 to 2: one point when a single country supplies 40 per cent or more, two at 60 per cent.
Scope. Manufactured goods, customs chapters 16 to 96, excluding ores, fuels and precious metals. Primary agriculture is out of scope for a page about manufacture.
A map of where to look.
Trade data says what crossed the border, not why. Cost, scale, patents, tariffs and the plain fact that a supplier is good at it are all invisible here. The world file reconciles what each pair of countries reports, so a national customs file would differ in detail. Nothing on this page is a forecast or a promise.
Source: CEPII BACI, HS22, version 202601, years 2022 to 2024. Edition of 2026-11-03. The UK edition with its procurement and regional layers is at /made-here/.
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