Colombia’s Non-Mining Energy Exports Exceed 2025 Target in First Quarter

Colombia’s non-mining energy sector demonstrated significant export performance in the first quarter of this year, with its total exports surpassing the 2025 target by 10.9 percentage points. Between January and March, this sector accounted for 65.4% of Colombia’s total exports of goods and services.

During the first three months of 2025, Colombia’s service exports totaled $4.761.9 million USD, representing a 9.6% increase compared to the same period in 2024. When combined with non-mining energy goods exports, which totaled $6.139.9 million USD during the same period, the aggregate non-mining exports (goods and services) amounted to $10.901.8 million USD. This represents a 17.05% growth compared to the first quarter of 2024.

This performance signifies that non-mining goods and services constituted 65.4% of the country’s total exports of these two categories between January and March. An analysis by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism indicates that this participation rate exceeds the 2025 projected goal of 54.5% by 10.9 percentage points.

Services Sector Performance

Within the services category, tourism, specifically travel and transportation, was the primary driver of export growth, according to data from the Bank of the Republic, Colombia’s central bank.

Travel exports totaled $2,430.5 million USD, growing by 11.6% in the first three months of the year. This sub-sector alone accounted for 51% of all service exports. Transportation exports reached $820.6 million USD, an increase of 17.2% from the first quarter of 2024, and represented 17.2% of the total services sold internationally during the period.

Additionally, “other business services” contributed to the overall growth, with foreign sales totaling $797.2 million USD, a 2.3% increase, representing 16.7% of service exports. Telecommunications and computer services also contributed. They totalled $486.9 million USD, increased by 9% and 10.2% participated in that basket.

Banco de la Republica, the central bank of Colombia, in Bogotá. Photo credit: Banco de la Republica.