Avigdor Liberman begins his trip in Ethiopia, where he will be accompanied by 20 business people.
Officials say the trip is about building business links with Africa and also countering the influence of Iran on the continent.
Israel hopes closer ties with Africa will help at the UN where African countries often vote in blocks.
Ethiopia has strong links with Israel. During the 1980s and 90s tens of thousands of Ethiopian Jews were airlifted to Israel to resettle in what they considered to be their homeland.
Mr Liberman will also visit Uganda which recently turned to Iran for help in exploiting its newly discovered oil.
Kenya, which his spokesman described as 'an African power-broker', is also on Mr Liberman's itinerary.
One area in which Israel could offer assistance is agriculture. Africa struggles to feed itself and faces frequent droughts, yet Israel has a thriving agriculture sector.
The final line of a statement from the Israeli foreign ministry refers to what it calls "the Iranian Issue".
Israel is clearly worried that its foe Iran has been trying to increase its influence in Africa.
Mr Liberman will hope to convince African leaders to share his concern over Iran's nuclear programme.
What is to be done between now and 2SS? | September 17, 2017 |
The settlers will rise in power in Israel's new government | March 14, 2013 |
Israeli Apartheid | March 14, 2013 |
Israel forces launch arrest raids across West Bank | March 14, 2013 |
This Court Case Was My Only Hope | March 14, 2013 |
Netanyahu Prepares to Accept New Coalition | March 14, 2013 |
Obama may scrap visit to Ramallah | March 14, 2013 |
Obama’s Middle East trip: Lessons from Bill Clinton | March 14, 2013 |
Settlers steal IDF tent erected to prevent Palestinian encampment | March 14, 2013 |
Intifada far off | March 14, 2013 |