Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita was 5.26 BoP, current US$ per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1970–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in BoP, current US$ per person.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 5.26 BoP, current US$ per person.
The figure is down 84.4% on the previous year and down 88.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 59.12 BoP, current US$ per person in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.6555 BoP, current US$ per person, in 1980.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 42nd of 47 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.82 BoP, current US$ per person | — |
| 1971 | 2.37 BoP, current US$ per person | -16.0% |
| 1972 | 2.24 BoP, current US$ per person | -5.3% |
| 1973 | 2.57 BoP, current US$ per person | +14.5% |
| 1974 | 4.32 BoP, current US$ per person | +68.2% |
| 1975 | 3.81 BoP, current US$ per person | -11.8% |
| 1976 | 2.93 BoP, current US$ per person | -23.1% |
| 1977 | 2.37 BoP, current US$ per person | -19.1% |
| 1978 | 2.5 BoP, current US$ per person | +5.6% |
| 1979 | 2.04 BoP, current US$ per person | -18.4% |
| 1980 | 0.6555 BoP, current US$ per person | -67.9% |
| 1981 | 3.85 BoP, current US$ per person | +486.8% |
| 1982 | 3.52 BoP, current US$ per person | -8.4% |
| 1983 | 2 BoP, current US$ per person | -43.2% |
| 1984 | 2.14 BoP, current US$ per person | +6.7% |
| 1985 | 2.21 BoP, current US$ per person | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 1.32 BoP, current US$ per person | -40.2% |
| 1987 | 2.75 BoP, current US$ per person | +108.0% |
| 1988 | 3.07 BoP, current US$ per person | +11.4% |
| 1989 | 5.86 BoP, current US$ per person | +91.2% |
| 1990 | 2.25 BoP, current US$ per person | -61.6% |
| 1991 | 3.9 BoP, current US$ per person | +72.9% |
| 1992 | 3.39 BoP, current US$ per person | -12.9% |
| 1993 | 4.6 BoP, current US$ per person | +35.4% |
| 1994 | 6.16 BoP, current US$ per person | +34.1% |
| 1995 | 6.05 BoP, current US$ per person | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 5.34 BoP, current US$ per person | -11.8% |
| 1997 | 11.74 BoP, current US$ per person | +119.8% |
| 1998 | 9.33 BoP, current US$ per person | -20.6% |
| 1999 | 13.04 BoP, current US$ per person | +39.9% |
| 2000 | 10.1 BoP, current US$ per person | -22.6% |
| 2001 | 22.07 BoP, current US$ per person | +118.5% |
| 2002 | 15.14 BoP, current US$ per person | -31.4% |
| 2003 | 18.72 BoP, current US$ per person | +23.7% |
| 2004 | 16.66 BoP, current US$ per person | -11.0% |
| 2005 | 25.17 BoP, current US$ per person | +51.1% |
| 2006 | 20.52 BoP, current US$ per person | -18.4% |
| 2007 | 35.42 BoP, current US$ per person | +72.6% |
| 2008 | 45.85 BoP, current US$ per person | +29.5% |
| 2009 | 42.12 BoP, current US$ per person | -8.1% |
| 2010 | 36.69 BoP, current US$ per person | -12.9% |
| 2011 | 45.74 BoP, current US$ per person | +24.7% |
| 2012 | 48.22 BoP, current US$ per person | +5.4% |
| 2013 | 41.92 BoP, current US$ per person | -13.1% |
| 2014 | 44.4 BoP, current US$ per person | +5.9% |
| 2015 | 44.15 BoP, current US$ per person | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 30.71 BoP, current US$ per person | -30.4% |
| 2017 | 25.84 BoP, current US$ per person | -15.8% |
| 2018 | 25.4 BoP, current US$ per person | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 24.18 BoP, current US$ per person | -4.8% |
| 2020 | 19.91 BoP, current US$ per person | -17.7% |
| 2021 | 59.12 BoP, current US$ per person | +197.0% |
| 2022 | 29.86 BoP, current US$ per person | -49.5% |
| 2023 | 33.73 BoP, current US$ per person | +12.9% |
| 2024 | 33.72 BoP, current US$ per person | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 5.26 BoP, current US$ per person | -84.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +486.8% | 0.6555 BoP, current US$ per person | 3.85 BoP, current US$ per person |
| 2021 | +197.0% | 19.91 BoP, current US$ per person | 59.12 BoP, current US$ per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.8 BoP, current US$ per person | 2.04 BoP, current US$ per person | 4.32 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.74 BoP, current US$ per person | 0.6555 BoP, current US$ per person | 5.86 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.58 BoP, current US$ per person | 2.25 BoP, current US$ per person | 13.04 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.18 BoP, current US$ per person | 10.1 BoP, current US$ per person | 45.85 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.73 BoP, current US$ per person | 24.18 BoP, current US$ per person | 48.22 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.26 BoP, current US$ per person | 5.26 BoP, current US$ per person | 59.12 BoP, current US$ per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 39 Curacao 992.57 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 40 Czechia 964.82 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 41 Aruba 956.07 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 42 Turks and Caicos Islands 945.52 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 43 Ireland 893.09 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 44 Saudi Arabia 882.47 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 45 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 856.14 BoP, current US$ per person compare
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 287.43 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 10.5 % change on previous year (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per capita 160.95 current US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0962 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -84.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2786 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 420.94 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 466.09 current US$ 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)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,874 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa was 5.26 BoP, current US$ per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 59.12 BoP, current US$ per person in 2021.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6555 BoP, current US$ per person in 1980.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 42nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 88.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.