Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was 177.04 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sierra Leone, 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$.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 177.04 million BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 45.4% on the previous year and down 29.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sierra Leone peaked at 950.48 million BoP, current US$ in 2011 and was at its lowest, -140.31 million BoP, current US$, in 1986.
Sierra Leone ranks 146th of 204 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 8.20 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 5.20 million BoP, current US$ | -36.6% |
| 1972 | 3.80 million BoP, current US$ | -26.9% |
| 1973 | 6.24 million BoP, current US$ | +64.2% |
| 1974 | 10.50 million BoP, current US$ | +68.3% |
| 1975 | 10.10 million BoP, current US$ | -3.8% |
| 1976 | 8.50 million BoP, current US$ | -15.8% |
| 1977 | 5.06 million BoP, current US$ | -40.5% |
| 1978 | 24.26 million BoP, current US$ | +379.5% |
| 1979 | 16.08 million BoP, current US$ | -33.7% |
| 1980 | -18.67 million BoP, current US$ | -216.1% |
| 1981 | 7.51 million BoP, current US$ | -140.2% |
| 1982 | 4.68 million BoP, current US$ | -37.6% |
| 1983 | 1.70 million BoP, current US$ | -63.8% |
| 1984 | 5.86 million BoP, current US$ | +245.1% |
| 1985 | -30.96 million BoP, current US$ | -628.6% |
| 1986 | -140.31 million BoP, current US$ | +353.2% |
| 1987 | 39.41 million BoP, current US$ | -128.1% |
| 1988 | -23.09 million BoP, current US$ | -158.6% |
| 1989 | 22.36 million BoP, current US$ | -196.8% |
| 1990 | 32.43 million BoP, current US$ | +45.1% |
| 1991 | 7.50 million BoP, current US$ | -76.9% |
| 1992 | -5.60 million BoP, current US$ | -174.6% |
| 1993 | -7.46 million BoP, current US$ | +33.3% |
| 1994 | -2.87 million BoP, current US$ | -61.5% |
| 1995 | 7.29 million BoP, current US$ | -353.5% |
| 1996 | 663,928 BoP, current US$ | -90.9% |
| 1997 | 1.80 million BoP, current US$ | +171.1% |
| 1998 | 104,885 BoP, current US$ | -94.2% |
| 1999 | 533,202 BoP, current US$ | +408.4% |
| 2000 | 39.00 million BoP, current US$ | +7214.5% |
| 2001 | 9.84 million BoP, current US$ | -74.8% |
| 2002 | 10.41 million BoP, current US$ | +5.9% |
| 2003 | 8.62 million BoP, current US$ | -17.3% |
| 2004 | 61.15 million BoP, current US$ | +609.8% |
| 2005 | 90.73 million BoP, current US$ | +48.4% |
| 2006 | 58.87 million BoP, current US$ | -35.1% |
| 2007 | 95.47 million BoP, current US$ | +62.2% |
| 2008 | 53.10 million BoP, current US$ | -44.4% |
| 2009 | 110.43 million BoP, current US$ | +108.0% |
| 2010 | 238.40 million BoP, current US$ | +115.9% |
| 2011 | 950.48 million BoP, current US$ | +298.7% |
| 2012 | 722.45 million BoP, current US$ | -24.0% |
| 2013 | 429.67 million BoP, current US$ | -40.5% |
| 2014 | 375.09 million BoP, current US$ | -12.7% |
| 2015 | 252.44 million BoP, current US$ | -32.7% |
| 2016 | 138.52 million BoP, current US$ | -45.1% |
| 2017 | 413.73 million BoP, current US$ | +198.7% |
| 2018 | 185.65 million BoP, current US$ | -55.1% |
| 2019 | 121.78 million BoP, current US$ | -34.4% |
| 2020 | 51.00 million BoP, current US$ | -58.1% |
| 2021 | 214.00 million BoP, current US$ | +319.6% |
| 2022 | 145.00 million BoP, current US$ | -32.2% |
| 2023 | 145.91 million BoP, current US$ | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 121.78 million BoP, current US$ | -16.5% |
| 2025 | 177.04 million BoP, current US$ | +45.4% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 177.04 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is 273.72 million BoP, current US$, 65% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 177.04 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 490.83 million BoP, current US$, 36% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Sierra Leone 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +7214.5% | 533,202 BoP, current US$ | 39.00 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2004 | +609.8% | 8.62 million BoP, current US$ | 61.15 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1985 | -628.6% | 5.86 million BoP, current US$ | -30.96 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.79 million BoP, current US$ | 3.80 million BoP, current US$ | 24.26 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | -13.15 million BoP, current US$ | -140.31 million BoP, current US$ | 39.41 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.44 million BoP, current US$ | -7.46 million BoP, current US$ | 32.43 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.76 million BoP, current US$ | 8.62 million BoP, current US$ | 110.43 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 382.82 million BoP, current US$ | 121.78 million BoP, current US$ | 950.48 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 142.46 million BoP, current US$ | 51.00 million BoP, current US$ | 214.00 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 143 Togo 221.29 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 144 Saint Lucia 193.98 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 145 Curacao 183.30 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 147 Grenada 170.66 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 148 Cape Verde 153.85 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 149 Djibouti 149.04 million BoP, current US$ compare
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)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -18.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0324 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 27.41 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -22.43 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0236 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 20.01 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0381 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sierra Leone?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sierra Leone was 177.04 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 950.48 million BoP, current US$ in 2011.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was -140.31 million BoP, current US$ in 1986.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Sierra Leone ranks 146th out of 204 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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.