Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was 21.54 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Africa Western and Central, 1970–2025
Source: 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. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 21.54 billion BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
The figure is up 24.3% on the previous year and up 29.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Africa Western and Central peaked at 24.50 billion BoP, current US$ in 2011 and was at its lowest, -228.09 million BoP, current US$, in 1980.
Africa Western and Central ranks 42nd of 47 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 407.46 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 388.68 million BoP, current US$ | -4.6% |
| 1972 | 476.66 million BoP, current US$ | +22.6% |
| 1973 | 642.41 million BoP, current US$ | +34.8% |
| 1974 | 518.27 million BoP, current US$ | -19.3% |
| 1975 | 969.11 million BoP, current US$ | +87.0% |
| 1976 | 605.38 million BoP, current US$ | -37.5% |
| 1977 | 778.79 million BoP, current US$ | +28.6% |
| 1978 | 751.40 million BoP, current US$ | -3.5% |
| 1979 | 785.67 million BoP, current US$ | +4.6% |
| 1980 | -228.09 million BoP, current US$ | -129.0% |
| 1981 | 1.17 billion BoP, current US$ | -614.2% |
| 1982 | 878.53 million BoP, current US$ | -25.1% |
| 1983 | 768.22 million BoP, current US$ | -12.6% |
| 1984 | 338.95 million BoP, current US$ | -55.9% |
| 1985 | 893.62 million BoP, current US$ | +163.6% |
| 1986 | 204.43 million BoP, current US$ | -77.1% |
| 1987 | 1.04 billion BoP, current US$ | +407.7% |
| 1988 | 973.62 million BoP, current US$ | -6.2% |
| 1989 | 2.57 billion BoP, current US$ | +163.9% |
| 1990 | 1.07 billion BoP, current US$ | -58.2% |
| 1991 | 837.65 million BoP, current US$ | -22.0% |
| 1992 | 1.21 billion BoP, current US$ | +45.0% |
| 1993 | 1.76 billion BoP, current US$ | +44.7% |
| 1994 | 2.39 billion BoP, current US$ | +36.0% |
| 1995 | 945.43 million BoP, current US$ | -60.4% |
| 1996 | 1.18 billion BoP, current US$ | +25.1% |
| 1997 | 1.62 billion BoP, current US$ | +37.2% |
| 1998 | 1.90 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.0% |
| 1999 | 2.39 billion BoP, current US$ | +26.0% |
| 2000 | 2.56 billion BoP, current US$ | +7.1% |
| 2001 | 3.22 billion BoP, current US$ | +25.9% |
| 2002 | 4.41 billion BoP, current US$ | +36.7% |
| 2003 | 5.26 billion BoP, current US$ | +19.4% |
| 2004 | 4.65 billion BoP, current US$ | -11.6% |
| 2005 | 9.28 billion BoP, current US$ | +99.4% |
| 2006 | 9.20 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 13.03 billion BoP, current US$ | +41.6% |
| 2008 | 16.32 billion BoP, current US$ | +25.2% |
| 2009 | 18.16 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.3% |
| 2010 | 18.87 billion BoP, current US$ | +3.9% |
| 2011 | 24.50 billion BoP, current US$ | +29.8% |
| 2012 | 20.91 billion BoP, current US$ | -14.6% |
| 2013 | 19.16 billion BoP, current US$ | -8.4% |
| 2014 | 16.60 billion BoP, current US$ | -13.4% |
| 2015 | 16.60 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 14.69 billion BoP, current US$ | -11.5% |
| 2017 | 10.32 billion BoP, current US$ | -29.7% |
| 2018 | 3.60 billion BoP, current US$ | -65.2% |
| 2019 | 10.37 billion BoP, current US$ | +188.3% |
| 2020 | 8.02 billion BoP, current US$ | -22.6% |
| 2021 | 14.66 billion BoP, current US$ | +82.7% |
| 2022 | 11.72 billion BoP, current US$ | -20.1% |
| 2023 | 17.44 billion BoP, current US$ | +48.9% |
| 2024 | 17.33 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 21.54 billion BoP, current US$ | +24.3% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Africa Western and Central changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +614.2% | -228.09 million BoP, current US$ | 1.17 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 1987 | +407.7% | 204.43 million BoP, current US$ | 1.04 billion BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 632.38 million BoP, current US$ | 388.68 million BoP, current US$ | 969.11 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 860.92 million BoP, current US$ | -228.09 million BoP, current US$ | 2.57 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.53 billion BoP, current US$ | 837.65 million BoP, current US$ | 2.39 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.61 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.56 billion BoP, current US$ | 18.16 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.56 billion BoP, current US$ | 3.60 billion BoP, current US$ | 24.50 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.12 billion BoP, current US$ | 8.02 billion BoP, current US$ | 21.54 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 39 Peru 10.35 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 40 Romania 9.37 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 41 Guyana 8.97 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 42 Philippines 8.12 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 43 Guinea 7.76 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 44 Oman 6.75 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 45 Mozambique 5.76 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Africa Western and Central
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9471 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per capita 794.5 current US$ per person (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 5 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.6205 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 992.81 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 15.62 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), annual 4.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per 1,768 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per unit 1.11 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4965 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Africa Western and Central?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Africa Western and Central was 21.54 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to 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.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 24.50 billion BoP, current US$ in 2011.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was -228.09 million BoP, current US$ in 1980.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 42nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from 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, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in the reporting economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. 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 ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. Data are in current U.S. dollars.