Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Cameroon
Cameroon: Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) was -824.80 million BoP, current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net in Cameroon, 1977–2024
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net in Cameroon is -824.80 million BoP, current US$, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 8.5% on the previous year and down 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net in Cameroon peaked at 127.93 million BoP, current US$ in 1990 and was at its lowest, -908.71 million BoP, current US$, in 2021.
That places Cameroon 117th out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | -4.31 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1978 | -33.68 million BoP, current US$ | +680.6% |
| 1979 | -64.26 million BoP, current US$ | +90.8% |
| 1980 | -138.06 million BoP, current US$ | +114.8% |
| 1981 | -135.76 million BoP, current US$ | -1.7% |
| 1982 | -107.15 million BoP, current US$ | -21.1% |
| 1983 | -208.60 million BoP, current US$ | +94.7% |
| 1984 | -7.55 million BoP, current US$ | -96.4% |
| 1985 | -305.68 million BoP, current US$ | +3947.5% |
| 1986 | 106.41 million BoP, current US$ | -134.8% |
| 1987 | -104.38 million BoP, current US$ | -198.1% |
| 1988 | -63.72 million BoP, current US$ | -39.0% |
| 1989 | 111.81 million BoP, current US$ | -275.5% |
| 1990 | 127.93 million BoP, current US$ | +14.4% |
| 1991 | 36.01 million BoP, current US$ | -71.8% |
| 1992 | 3.85 million BoP, current US$ | -89.3% |
| 1993 | 16.99 million BoP, current US$ | +340.8% |
| 1994 | 9.40 million BoP, current US$ | -44.7% |
| 1995 | -6.69 million BoP, current US$ | -171.2% |
| 1996 | -93.22 million BoP, current US$ | +1293.1% |
| 1997 | -82.23 million BoP, current US$ | -11.8% |
| 1998 | -191.09 million BoP, current US$ | +132.4% |
| 1999 | 3.83 million BoP, current US$ | -102.0% |
| 2000 | -149.50 million BoP, current US$ | -3999.8% |
| 2001 | -38.11 million BoP, current US$ | -74.5% |
| 2002 | -637.87 million BoP, current US$ | +1573.8% |
| 2003 | -328.52 million BoP, current US$ | -48.5% |
| 2004 | -76.72 million BoP, current US$ | -76.6% |
| 2005 | -257.28 million BoP, current US$ | +235.4% |
| 2006 | -64.43 million BoP, current US$ | -75.0% |
| 2007 | -197.30 million BoP, current US$ | +206.2% |
| 2008 | -23.21 million BoP, current US$ | -88.2% |
| 2009 | -812.35 million BoP, current US$ | +3399.9% |
| 2010 | -35.29 million BoP, current US$ | -95.7% |
| 2011 | -466.17 million BoP, current US$ | +1221.1% |
| 2012 | -809.68 million BoP, current US$ | +73.7% |
| 2013 | -704.97 million BoP, current US$ | -12.9% |
| 2014 | -737.64 million BoP, current US$ | +4.6% |
| 2015 | -638.52 million BoP, current US$ | -13.4% |
| 2016 | -702.82 million BoP, current US$ | +10.1% |
| 2017 | -792.58 million BoP, current US$ | +12.8% |
| 2018 | -657.15 million BoP, current US$ | -17.1% |
| 2019 | -898.87 million BoP, current US$ | +36.8% |
| 2020 | -590.77 million BoP, current US$ | -34.3% |
| 2021 | -908.71 million BoP, current US$ | +53.8% |
| 2022 | -898.34 million BoP, current US$ | -1.1% |
| 2023 | -901.05 million BoP, current US$ | +0.3% |
| 2024 | -824.80 million BoP, current US$ | -8.5% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's -824.80 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is -680.55 million BoP, current US$, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's -824.80 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -396.63 million BoP, current US$, 2.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Cameroon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | -3999.8% | 3.83 million BoP, current US$ | -149.50 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1985 | -3947.5% | -7.55 million BoP, current US$ | -305.68 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2009 | -3399.9% | -23.21 million BoP, current US$ | -812.35 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2002 | -1573.8% | -38.11 million BoP, current US$ | -637.87 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1996 | -1293.1% | -6.69 million BoP, current US$ | -93.22 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2011 | -1221.1% | -35.29 million BoP, current US$ | -466.17 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -34.09 million BoP, current US$ | -64.26 million BoP, current US$ | -4.31 million BoP, current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | -85.27 million BoP, current US$ | -305.68 million BoP, current US$ | 111.81 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -17.52 million BoP, current US$ | -191.09 million BoP, current US$ | 127.93 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | -258.53 million BoP, current US$ | -812.35 million BoP, current US$ | -23.21 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -644.37 million BoP, current US$ | -898.87 million BoP, current US$ | -35.29 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -824.73 million BoP, current US$ | -908.71 million BoP, current US$ | -590.77 million BoP, current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
- 114 Madagascar -751.36 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 115 Honduras -788.78 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 116 Libya -794.70 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 118 Kosovo -831.19 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 118 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) -831.19 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 120 Mali -842.97 million BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Cameroon
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 5.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.05 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.53 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -0.6569 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 0.7283 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -5.4 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 0.5318 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 17.96 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net in Cameroon?
- Foreign direct investment, net in Cameroon was -824.80 million BoP, current US$ in 2024, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 127.93 million BoP, current US$ in 1990.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was -908.71 million BoP, current US$ in 2021.
- How does Cameroon rank for foreign direct investment, net?
- Cameroon ranks 117th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the voting power is evidence of a direct investment relationship. 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.