Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was 3.80 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ethiopia, 1977–2025
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$.
Analysis
Ethiopia recorded 3.80 billion BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
That represents a change of down 5.6% on the previous year and up 44.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ethiopia peaked at 4.26 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0 BoP, current US$, in 1978.
Ethiopia ranks 55th of 204 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 5.85 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1978 | 0 BoP, current US$ | -100.0% |
| 1979 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1980 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1981 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1982 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1983 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1984 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1985 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1986 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1987 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1988 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1989 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1990 | 12.00 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1991 | 6.00 million BoP, current US$ | -50.0% |
| 1992 | 170,000 BoP, current US$ | -97.2% |
| 1993 | 3.50 million BoP, current US$ | +1958.8% |
| 1994 | 17.21 million BoP, current US$ | +391.7% |
| 1995 | 14.14 million BoP, current US$ | -17.8% |
| 1996 | 21.93 million BoP, current US$ | +55.1% |
| 1997 | 288.49 million BoP, current US$ | +1215.5% |
| 1998 | 260.67 million BoP, current US$ | -9.6% |
| 1999 | 69.98 million BoP, current US$ | -73.2% |
| 2000 | 134.64 million BoP, current US$ | +92.4% |
| 2001 | 349.40 million BoP, current US$ | +159.5% |
| 2002 | 255.00 million BoP, current US$ | -27.0% |
| 2003 | 465.00 million BoP, current US$ | +82.4% |
| 2004 | 545.10 million BoP, current US$ | +17.2% |
| 2005 | 265.11 million BoP, current US$ | -51.4% |
| 2006 | 545.26 million BoP, current US$ | +105.7% |
| 2007 | 222.00 million BoP, current US$ | -59.3% |
| 2008 | 108.54 million BoP, current US$ | -51.1% |
| 2009 | 221.46 million BoP, current US$ | +104.0% |
| 2010 | 288.27 million BoP, current US$ | +30.2% |
| 2011 | 628.62 million BoP, current US$ | +118.1% |
| 2012 | 278.56 million BoP, current US$ | -55.7% |
| 2013 | 1.34 billion BoP, current US$ | +382.4% |
| 2014 | 1.86 billion BoP, current US$ | +38.0% |
| 2015 | 2.63 billion BoP, current US$ | +41.6% |
| 2016 | 4.14 billion BoP, current US$ | +57.7% |
| 2017 | 4.02 billion BoP, current US$ | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 3.36 billion BoP, current US$ | -16.3% |
| 2019 | 2.55 billion BoP, current US$ | -24.2% |
| 2020 | 2.40 billion BoP, current US$ | -6.0% |
| 2021 | 4.26 billion BoP, current US$ | +77.8% |
| 2022 | 3.67 billion BoP, current US$ | -13.8% |
| 2023 | 3.26 billion BoP, current US$ | -11.1% |
| 2024 | 4.02 billion BoP, current US$ | +23.3% |
| 2025 | 3.80 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.6% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 3.80 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for low income countries, which is 273.72 million BoP, current US$, 13.9× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 3.80 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 490.83 million BoP, current US$, 7.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Ethiopia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +1958.8% | 170,000 BoP, current US$ | 3.50 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1997 | +1215.5% | 21.93 million BoP, current US$ | 288.49 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.95 million BoP, current US$ | 0 BoP, current US$ | 5.85 million BoP, current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | 0 BoP, current US$ | 0 BoP, current US$ | 0 BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 69.41 million BoP, current US$ | 170,000 BoP, current US$ | 288.49 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 311.15 million BoP, current US$ | 108.54 million BoP, current US$ | 545.26 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.11 billion BoP, current US$ | 278.56 million BoP, current US$ | 4.14 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.57 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.40 billion BoP, current US$ | 4.26 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More economy & growth data for Ethiopia
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 0.0318 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -0.4608 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 0.0232 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -16.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0038 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per capita 3.57 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, SDR, annual growth rate -20.34 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ethiopia?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ethiopia was 3.80 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.26 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 BoP, current US$ in 1978.
- How does Ethiopia rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Ethiopia ranks 55th out of 204 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 44.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.
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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.