Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 1.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Sierra Leone, 1970–2024
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
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Sierra Leone is 1.7%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it 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 share of gdp in Sierra Leone peaked at 19.6% in 2011 and was at its lowest, -28.6%, in 1986.
Sierra Leone ranks 112th of 198 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.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.9% | — |
| 1971 | 1.2% | -34.3% |
| 1972 | 0.8% | -34.1% |
| 1973 | 1.1% | +32.9% |
| 1974 | 1.6% | +49.2% |
| 1975 | 1.5% | -8.2% |
| 1976 | 1.4% | -3.9% |
| 1977 | 0.7% | -48.8% |
| 1978 | 2.5% | +245.3% |
| 1979 | 1.4% | -42.6% |
| 1980 | -1.7% | -217.0% |
| 1981 | 0.7% | -139.7% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | -46.3% |
| 1983 | 0.2% | -52.8% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | +215.7% |
| 1985 | -3.6% | -770.8% |
| 1986 | -28.6% | +692.3% |
| 1987 | 6.0% | -120.9% |
| 1988 | -2.2% | -136.7% |
| 1989 | 2.4% | -209.5% |
| 1990 | 5.0% | +108.4% |
| 1991 | 1.0% | -80.7% |
| 1992 | -0.8% | -185.6% |
| 1993 | -1.0% | +17.9% |
| 1994 | -0.3% | -67.5% |
| 1995 | 0.8% | -365.5% |
| 1996 | 0.1% | -91.6% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | +200.3% |
| 1998 | 0.0% | -92.6% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | +410.6% |
| 2000 | 6.1% | +7600.0% |
| 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% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.4% | 0.7% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | -2.6% | -28.6% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5% | -1.0% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 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
- 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)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 11.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.568 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 480.73 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth -30.21 % change on previous year (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth -30.62 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 8.81 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 6.69 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 5,664 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Sierra Leone?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Sierra Leone was 1.7% 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 19.6% in 2011.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was -28.6% in 1986.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Sierra Leone ranks 112th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share 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 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.