Chad
Chad connects Central Africa with the wider Sahel, with oil flowing south to Cameroon’s Port of Kribi and cotton, livestock and gum arabic moving across regional trade routes. As trade grows across energy, agriculture, transport and distribution, make sure the buyers, partners and customers looking for Chadian businesses find you.
List your businessOil accounts for roughly three-quarters of exports, piped south through Cameroon since Chad has no coastline of its own.
Companies based in Chad
Showing verified listings across N’Djamena, Moundou, Sarh, Abéché & Doba
Why Chad’s geography shapes its economy
- Export oil through a neighbor’s port
Chad has no coastline, so crude moves south through a dedicated pipeline to Kribi, Cameroon, funding much of the national budget.
- Trade in cotton, livestock and gum arabic
Agriculture still employs most of the workforce, anchoring exports well beyond oil alone.
- Sit at a genuine crossroads of Africa
Straddling the Sahara and the Sahel, Chad connects North and Central African trade routes few other countries touch directly.
- Main business languagesFrench, Arabic
- Leading exportOil (~76% of exports)
- Other exportsCotton, cattle, gum arabic
- Export routeChad-Cameroon pipeline to Kribi
- CapitalN’Djamena
- Regional blocsCEMAC, ECCAS
- CurrencyCentral African CFA franc (XAF)
- Time zoneWAT (UTC+1)
- Calling code+235
Starting a business in Chad?
Registering a business in Chad means working through ANIE (Agence Nationale des Investissements et des Exportations). This guide breaks down the real steps, approximate cost, and approximate timeline, so you know what to expect before you begin.
Steps, fees, and timelines are approximate and compiled from public 2026 guides to the official process. Confirm current details directly with the official portal