Basile Ndjio estimates that between 13, to 18, Chinese sex workers are currently in sub-Saharan Africa. Such figures can be attributed to how Africa's middle-class has tripled over the last three decades as Deloitte reports. For long, China has exported almost anything to Africa.
From televisions, clothes, and a wide array of other gadgets, Africa has been the recipient of almost everything Chinese. A new phenomenon however is on the rise - the Chinese are exporting sex to Africa too.
Over the recent years, there has been a proliferation and sharp increase in the number of Chinese prostitutes who are flocking Africa for better riches. Basically, it's another scramble for Africa, just a bit unusual one and nuanced one. From Uganda, to Cameroon, influx of Chinese prostitutes is deeply palpable. There seems to be a fertile ground in this continent for them to flourish, capitalizing on every bit of improvements that the African middle-class is achieving. So, as China has made considerable inroads in Africa - signing mega-deals with governments, building resplendent infrastructure and opening special economic zones - Chinese sex workers have also followed suit, offering services to both locals and expatriates.
Basile Ndjio, a Cameroonian who is studying this phenomen, has some interesting insights on the development. It translates to an improved purchasing power and "imported sex" is readily affordable. Ndjio has been studying this for quite some time, probably the only African scholar devoting his time to this phenomenon.
He is anthropology professor at the University of Douala in Cameroon. The way this phenomenon struck him is fascinating, really. This is not new, Chinese sex workers first arrived in Africa during the cold war, but from the earlys, there has been a marked increase in migrant sex workers.
