Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lesotho
Lesotho: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was -5.77 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lesotho, 1975–2025
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$.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded -5.77 million BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 54.1% on the previous year and down 105.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lesotho peaked at 113.22 million BoP, current US$ in 2015 and was at its lowest, -25.65 million BoP, current US$, in 2023.
That places Lesotho 179th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1976 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1977 | 440,000 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1978 | 20,000 BoP, current US$ | -95.5% |
| 1979 | 200,000 BoP, current US$ | +900.0% |
| 1980 | 4.49 million BoP, current US$ | +2146.9% |
| 1981 | 4.79 million BoP, current US$ | +6.5% |
| 1982 | 3.24 million BoP, current US$ | -32.3% |
| 1983 | 5.05 million BoP, current US$ | +55.9% |
| 1984 | 2.41 million BoP, current US$ | -52.2% |
| 1985 | 4.89 million BoP, current US$ | +102.7% |
| 1986 | 2.25 million BoP, current US$ | -53.9% |
| 1987 | 5.93 million BoP, current US$ | +163.0% |
| 1988 | 21.35 million BoP, current US$ | +260.1% |
| 1989 | 13.74 million BoP, current US$ | -35.6% |
| 1990 | 16.48 million BoP, current US$ | +20.0% |
| 1991 | 7.99 million BoP, current US$ | -51.5% |
| 1992 | 8.37 million BoP, current US$ | +4.8% |
| 1993 | 15.66 million BoP, current US$ | +87.1% |
| 1994 | 43.27 million BoP, current US$ | +176.4% |
| 1995 | 24.18 million BoP, current US$ | -44.1% |
| 1996 | 29.07 million BoP, current US$ | +20.3% |
| 1997 | 32.68 million BoP, current US$ | +12.4% |
| 1998 | 28.35 million BoP, current US$ | -13.2% |
| 1999 | 22.04 million BoP, current US$ | -22.3% |
| 2000 | 32.40 million BoP, current US$ | +47.0% |
| 2001 | 29.70 million BoP, current US$ | -8.4% |
| 2002 | 28.39 million BoP, current US$ | -4.4% |
| 2003 | 43.95 million BoP, current US$ | +54.8% |
| 2004 | 55.67 million BoP, current US$ | +26.7% |
| 2005 | 27.44 million BoP, current US$ | -50.7% |
| 2006 | 24.32 million BoP, current US$ | -11.4% |
| 2007 | 75.62 million BoP, current US$ | +210.9% |
| 2008 | 11.01 million BoP, current US$ | -85.4% |
| 2009 | 91.35 million BoP, current US$ | +729.7% |
| 2010 | 9.51 million BoP, current US$ | -89.6% |
| 2011 | 61.17 million BoP, current US$ | +543.3% |
| 2012 | 56.65 million BoP, current US$ | -7.4% |
| 2013 | 50.43 million BoP, current US$ | -11.0% |
| 2014 | 94.46 million BoP, current US$ | +87.3% |
| 2015 | 113.22 million BoP, current US$ | +19.9% |
| 2016 | 79.23 million BoP, current US$ | -30.0% |
| 2017 | 42.17 million BoP, current US$ | -46.8% |
| 2018 | 40.87 million BoP, current US$ | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 35.73 million BoP, current US$ | -12.6% |
| 2020 | 28.00 million BoP, current US$ | -21.6% |
| 2021 | -12.37 million BoP, current US$ | -144.2% |
| 2022 | -7.82 million BoP, current US$ | -36.8% |
| 2023 | -25.65 million BoP, current US$ | +228.0% |
| 2024 | -12.57 million BoP, current US$ | -51.0% |
| 2025 | -5.77 million BoP, current US$ | -54.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's -5.77 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 888.22 million BoP, current US$. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's -5.77 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 545.60 million BoP, current US$. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +2146.9% | 200,000 BoP, current US$ | 4.49 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1979 | +900.0% | 20,000 BoP, current US$ | 200,000 BoP, current US$ |
| 2009 | +729.7% | 11.01 million BoP, current US$ | 91.35 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2011 | +543.3% | 9.51 million BoP, current US$ | 61.17 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 132,000 BoP, current US$ | 0 BoP, current US$ | 440,000 BoP, current US$ | 5 |
| 1980s | 6.82 million BoP, current US$ | 2.25 million BoP, current US$ | 21.35 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.81 million BoP, current US$ | 7.99 million BoP, current US$ | 43.27 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.98 million BoP, current US$ | 11.01 million BoP, current US$ | 91.35 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.35 million BoP, current US$ | 9.51 million BoP, current US$ | 113.22 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -6.03 million BoP, current US$ | -25.65 million BoP, current US$ | 28.00 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More economy & growth data for Lesotho
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 0 BoP, current US$ (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0 BoP, current US$ per person (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -5.77 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 54.09 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0022 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -2.44 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4215 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 431.19 includes gold, current US$ per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lesotho?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lesotho was -5.77 million 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 Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 113.22 million BoP, current US$ in 2015.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -25.65 million BoP, current US$ in 2023.
- How does Lesotho rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Lesotho ranks 179th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 105.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho 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.