Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Namibia
Namibia: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 14.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Namibia, 1985–2024
Source: IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Namibia stood at 14.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 22.6% on the previous year and up 295.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Namibia peaked at 18.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, -1.4%, in 2020.
That places Namibia 10th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 1.0% | — |
| 1986 | 0.5% | -51.1% |
| 1987 | -0.0% | -101.5% |
| 1988 | -0.1% | +718.8% |
| 1989 | -0.0% | -68.7% |
| 1990 | 1.1% | -5697.3% |
| 1991 | 4.0% | +279.2% |
| 1992 | 3.4% | -14.2% |
| 1993 | 1.7% | -50.7% |
| 1994 | 2.7% | +57.2% |
| 1995 | 3.8% | +43.9% |
| 1996 | 3.2% | -16.1% |
| 1997 | 2.2% | -32.1% |
| 1998 | 2.5% | +13.5% |
| 1999 | 1.3% | -46.8% |
| 2000 | 5.0% | +279.0% |
| 2001 | 10.7% | +113.0% |
| 2002 | 4.4% | -58.7% |
| 2003 | 1.3% | -70.0% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | +155.9% |
| 2005 | 5.4% | +59.0% |
| 2006 | 7.6% | +41.8% |
| 2007 | 7.6% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 8.7% | +15.2% |
| 2009 | 9.3% | +6.4% |
| 2010 | 2.5% | -72.9% |
| 2011 | 6.4% | +155.1% |
| 2012 | 8.0% | +24.5% |
| 2013 | 6.5% | -19.2% |
| 2014 | 3.6% | -44.5% |
| 2015 | 7.4% | +106.5% |
| 2016 | 3.3% | -54.8% |
| 2017 | 2.2% | -35.0% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | -21.2% |
| 2019 | -1.4% | -182.1% |
| 2020 | -1.4% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 6.8% | -577.5% |
| 2022 | 8.4% | +24.0% |
| 2023 | 18.3% | +118.1% |
| 2024 | 14.2% | -22.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.3% | -0.1% | 1.0% | 5 |
| 1990s | 2.6% | 1.1% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.3% | 1.3% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.0% | -1.4% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.3% | -1.4% | 18.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 7 Singapore 26.3% compare
- 8 Palau 21.5% compare
- 9 Mozambique 15.4% compare
- 11 Timor-Leste 13.3% compare
- 12 Mauritania 13.2% compare
- 13 Antigua and Barbuda 12.1% compare
More economy & growth data for Namibia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.07 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.64 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 10.76 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9092 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 4,433 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 8.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 16.26 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 79,306 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), annual 1.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per unit 0.7491 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Namibia?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Namibia was 14.2% in 2024, according to IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 18.3% in 2023.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.4% in 2020.
- How does Namibia rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Namibia ranks 10th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 295.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net inflows of foreign direct investment from foreign investors to the reporting economy.