Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP (%) in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP (%) was 1.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP in Sierra Leone, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Sierra Leone is 1.7%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 23.2% on the previous year and down 64.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Sierra Leone peaked at 19.6% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 2003.
That places Sierra Leone 126th out of 214 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 inflows, as a proportion of GDP (%) in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.1% | — |
| 2001 | 0.6% | -90.5% |
| 2002 | 0.5% | -7.9% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | -25.3% |
| 2004 | 2.7% | +579.8% |
| 2005 | 3.6% | +30.4% |
| 2006 | 1.8% | -49.4% |
| 2007 | 2.6% | +45.7% |
| 2008 | 1.3% | -51.4% |
| 2009 | 2.8% | +118.7% |
| 2010 | 5.6% | +100.2% |
| 2011 | 19.6% | +249.6% |
| 2012 | 11.8% | -39.8% |
| 2013 | 5.7% | -51.3% |
| 2014 | 4.9% | -14.8% |
| 2015 | 3.7% | -23.8% |
| 2016 | 2.3% | -38.8% |
| 2017 | 7.2% | +216.1% |
| 2018 | 2.9% | -59.6% |
| 2019 | 1.9% | -35.7% |
| 2020 | 0.8% | -59.2% |
| 2021 | 3.0% | +291.6% |
| 2022 | 2.0% | -31.8% |
| 2023 | 2.3% | +11.7% |
| 2024 | 1.7% | -23.2% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 1.7% is below the median for low income countries, which is 2.3%, 76% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 1.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.5%, 71% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP (%) in Sierra Leone 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | +579.8% | 0.4% | 2.7% |
| 2021 | +291.6% | 0.8% | 3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.2% | 0.4% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.5% | 1.9% | 19.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.0% | 0.8% | 3.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More economy & growth data for Sierra Leone
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -24.83 % change on previous year (2024)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.55 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 -18.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0324 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 27.41 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -22.43 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0236 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 20.01 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Sierra Leone?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Sierra Leone was 1.7% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 19.6% in 2011.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 2003.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp?
- Sierra Leone ranks 126th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 64.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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