Exports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Exports of goods and services was 27.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Exports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1967–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, exports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 27.9%.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and up 30.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 31.3% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 16.5%, in 1982.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 19th of 44 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 59 years of available data.
Exports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 20.0% | — |
| 1968 | 20.9% | +4.5% |
| 1969 | 19.4% | -7.1% |
| 1970 | 18.5% | -4.7% |
| 1971 | 19.1% | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 20.0% | +5.0% |
| 1973 | 20.8% | +3.9% |
| 1974 | 22.7% | +9.1% |
| 1975 | 21.5% | -5.4% |
| 1976 | 20.6% | -3.9% |
| 1977 | 22.3% | +8.2% |
| 1978 | 23.0% | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 24.7% | +7.5% |
| 1980 | 26.8% | +8.2% |
| 1981 | 17.0% | -36.7% |
| 1982 | 16.5% | -2.9% |
| 1983 | 18.4% | +11.6% |
| 1984 | 20.4% | +11.2% |
| 1985 | 20.8% | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 24.0% | +15.7% |
| 1987 | 25.2% | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 24.6% | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 24.5% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 23.0% | -6.1% |
| 1991 | 20.9% | -9.3% |
| 1992 | 23.5% | +12.7% |
| 1993 | 23.7% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 24.2% | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 22.3% | -7.8% |
| 1996 | 21.3% | -4.6% |
| 1997 | 20.4% | -4.2% |
| 1998 | 19.2% | -5.7% |
| 1999 | 26.9% | +39.7% |
| 2000 | 27.7% | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 28.0% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 27.3% | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 26.1% | -4.1% |
| 2004 | 26.4% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 27.6% | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 27.8% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 29.3% | +5.6% |
| 2008 | 31.3% | +6.8% |
| 2009 | 25.7% | -17.8% |
| 2010 | 27.4% | +6.5% |
| 2011 | 29.2% | +6.8% |
| 2012 | 27.5% | -6.0% |
| 2013 | 25.6% | -7.0% |
| 2014 | 24.0% | -6.0% |
| 2015 | 21.4% | -10.9% |
| 2016 | 21.9% | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 23.5% | +7.6% |
| 2018 | 24.5% | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 20.7% | -15.2% |
| 2020 | 19.3% | -7.0% |
| 2021 | 22.9% | +18.8% |
| 2022 | 24.4% | +6.5% |
| 2023 | 24.9% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 28.0% | +12.5% |
| 2025 | 27.9% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 20.1% | 19.4% | 20.9% | 3 |
| 1970s | 21.3% | 18.5% | 24.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.8% | 16.5% | 26.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.5% | 19.2% | 26.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.7% | 25.7% | 31.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.6% | 20.7% | 29.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.6% | 19.3% | 28.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 16 Guyana 84.6% compare
- 17 Netherlands 80.7% compare
- 18 Seychelles 79.6% compare
- 19 Slovenia 78.6% compare
- 20 Estonia 78.4% compare
- 21 Maldives 78.2% compare
- 22 Switzerland 78.1% compare
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 407.9 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 4.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 466.42 current US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2788 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 8.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 5.43 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2311 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 386.71 current US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2516 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Exports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa was 27.9% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest exports of goods and services recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 31.3% in 2008.
- What is the lowest exports of goods and services recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.5% in 1982.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for exports of goods and services?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 19th out of 44 groups with data for 2025.
- Is exports of goods and services rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Exports of goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Exports of goods includes changes in the economic ownership of goods from residents of the compiling economy to non-residents, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Exports of services includes services provided by residents to non-residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.