Current account balance in Benin
Benin: Current account balance was -1.61 billion BoP, current US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Current account balance in Benin, 1974–2023
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
Benin recorded -1.61 billion BoP, current US$ for current account balance in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 50 years on record.
That represents a change of down 62.3% on the previous year and down 138.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current account balance in Benin peaked at 10.55 million BoP, current US$ in 1994 and was at its lowest, -1.61 billion BoP, current US$, in 2023.
Benin ranks 142nd of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Current account balance in Benin, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | -29.27 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1975 | -53.38 million BoP, current US$ | +82.4% |
| 1976 | -64.82 million BoP, current US$ | +21.4% |
| 1977 | -56.66 million BoP, current US$ | -12.6% |
| 1978 | -90.33 million BoP, current US$ | +59.4% |
| 1979 | -51.85 million BoP, current US$ | -42.6% |
| 1980 | -35.72 million BoP, current US$ | -31.1% |
| 1981 | -93.37 million BoP, current US$ | +161.4% |
| 1982 | -377.17 million BoP, current US$ | +304.0% |
| 1983 | -134.79 million BoP, current US$ | -64.3% |
| 1984 | -57.07 million BoP, current US$ | -57.7% |
| 1985 | -38.95 million BoP, current US$ | -31.7% |
| 1986 | -52.84 million BoP, current US$ | +35.7% |
| 1987 | -34.29 million BoP, current US$ | -35.1% |
| 1988 | -105.49 million BoP, current US$ | +207.7% |
| 1989 | -13.42 million BoP, current US$ | -87.3% |
| 1990 | -18.14 million BoP, current US$ | +35.2% |
| 1991 | -216.38 million BoP, current US$ | +1092.8% |
| 1992 | -72.71 million BoP, current US$ | -66.4% |
| 1993 | -58.75 million BoP, current US$ | -19.2% |
| 1994 | 10.55 million BoP, current US$ | -118.0% |
| 1995 | -166.97 million BoP, current US$ | -1682.4% |
| 1996 | -40.96 million BoP, current US$ | -75.5% |
| 1997 | -153.96 million BoP, current US$ | +275.9% |
| 1998 | -132.51 million BoP, current US$ | -13.9% |
| 1999 | -155.63 million BoP, current US$ | +17.4% |
| 2000 | -80.78 million BoP, current US$ | -48.1% |
| 2001 | -74.99 million BoP, current US$ | -7.2% |
| 2002 | -156.93 million BoP, current US$ | +109.3% |
| 2003 | -331.95 million BoP, current US$ | +111.5% |
| 2004 | -289.01 million BoP, current US$ | -12.9% |
| 2005 | -226.18 million BoP, current US$ | -21.7% |
| 2006 | -217.20 million BoP, current US$ | -4.0% |
| 2007 | -534.76 million BoP, current US$ | +146.2% |
| 2008 | -538.19 million BoP, current US$ | +0.6% |
| 2009 | -651.55 million BoP, current US$ | +21.1% |
| 2010 | -530.86 million BoP, current US$ | -18.5% |
| 2011 | -516.84 million BoP, current US$ | -2.6% |
| 2012 | -576.94 million BoP, current US$ | +11.6% |
| 2013 | -673.37 million BoP, current US$ | +16.7% |
| 2014 | -885.80 million BoP, current US$ | +31.5% |
| 2015 | -679.20 million BoP, current US$ | -23.3% |
| 2016 | -354.24 million BoP, current US$ | -47.8% |
| 2017 | -531.03 million BoP, current US$ | +49.9% |
| 2018 | -648.83 million BoP, current US$ | +22.2% |
| 2019 | -575.59 million BoP, current US$ | -11.3% |
| 2020 | -273.97 million BoP, current US$ | -52.4% |
| 2021 | -734.66 million BoP, current US$ | +168.2% |
| 2022 | -991.00 million BoP, current US$ | +34.9% |
| 2023 | -1.61 billion BoP, current US$ | +62.3% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's -1.61 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is -391.82 million BoP, current US$, 4.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Benin's -1.61 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -749.01 million BoP, current US$, 2.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Current account balance in Benin changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | -1682.4% | 10.55 million BoP, current US$ | -166.97 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1991 | -1092.8% | -18.14 million BoP, current US$ | -216.38 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -57.72 million BoP, current US$ | -90.33 million BoP, current US$ | -29.27 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
| 1980s | -94.31 million BoP, current US$ | -377.17 million BoP, current US$ | -13.42 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -100.55 million BoP, current US$ | -216.38 million BoP, current US$ | 10.55 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | -310.15 million BoP, current US$ | -651.55 million BoP, current US$ | -74.99 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -597.27 million BoP, current US$ | -885.80 million BoP, current US$ | -354.24 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -902.04 million BoP, current US$ | -1.61 billion BoP, current US$ | -273.97 million BoP, current US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Benin
- 139 Indonesia -1.52 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 140 Kenya -1.55 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 141 Paraguay -1.57 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 143 Latvia -1.64 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 144 Cameroon -1.75 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 145 South Africa -1.81 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Benin
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.42 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 6.03 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 60.28 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0028 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 4.17 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 543.01 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 22.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0253 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 37.55 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 12.54 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current account balance in Benin?
- Current account balance in Benin was -1.61 billion BoP, current US$ in 2023, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest current account balance recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 10.55 million BoP, current US$ in 1994.
- What is the lowest current account balance recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.61 billion BoP, current US$ in 2023.
- How does Benin rank for current account balance?
- Benin ranks 142nd out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is current account balance rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 138.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Current account balance (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Balance of current transactions (transactions in goods and services, earned income and transfer income) between residents and non-residents. The term current account balance is used in the external accounts and is expressed from the perspective of resident units. The term current external balance is used in the national accounts and is expressed from the perspective of the non-resident units, and therefore with the opposite sign. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.