Historically, what makes sub-Saharan Africa, the world's last continental poverty zone, has been its lack of easy waterborne and pack animal cargo transport.

Whatever natives had to sell, had to be carried to market on foot.

What may well be a game changer is the Houthi rocketry that sent Suez-bound Asia-Europe shipping scurrying south around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid war risk insurance rates crossing the Red Sea.

Often ignored, sub-Saharan Africa had at last won the attention of the world's major ocean carriers and their port operators that found new opportunities for trade.

The container trade in sub-Saharan Africa is also evolving, with increasing volumes and infrastructure improvements.

The market is estimated to be worth US$7.46 billion in 2025, with projections reaching $9.79 billion by 2030, growing 5.5 per cent a year.

Sub-Saharan Africa has also shown strength in global container trade, with a 10.2 per cent increase in export volumes in the first half of 2024.

The Port of Mombasa, Kenya’s largest seaport, handles over 1.4 million TEU annually, serving neighbouring landlocked countries.

More recently, native Africa has been ignored except for Nigerian oil and Ivorian and Ghanaian chocolate, derived from cocoa.

Overall, pan sub-Saharan Africa's petroleum exports were valued at $109 billion, gold at $17 billion, copper cathodes at $13.8 billion, natural gas (LNG) at $13 billion and bituminous coal at $12.2 billion.

But Houthi rockets, in support of Hamas insurgents, were the game-changing phenomenon unforeseen by all. As a result, there has been significant upgrades in port facilities across sub-African seaports, driven by major ocean carrier subsidiaries and independent port operators.

Time will tell, but there are those who feel that the Houthi rockets in the Red Sea, will bring opportunity to sub-Saharan Africa at long last.