Foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Africa
South Africa: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Africa, 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$.
Analysis
South Africa recorded -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is down 192.7% on the previous year and down 242.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Africa peaked at 40.66 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, -2.16 billion BoP, current US$, in 2025.
That places South Africa 192nd out of 201 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Africa, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 334.60 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 260.06 million BoP, current US$ | -22.3% |
| 1972 | 114.48 million BoP, current US$ | -56.0% |
| 1973 | 27.38 million BoP, current US$ | -76.1% |
| 1974 | 696.12 million BoP, current US$ | +2442.5% |
| 1975 | 187.96 million BoP, current US$ | -73.0% |
| 1976 | 18.40 million BoP, current US$ | -90.2% |
| 1977 | -121.90 million BoP, current US$ | -762.5% |
| 1978 | -109.25 million BoP, current US$ | -10.4% |
| 1979 | -484.55 million BoP, current US$ | +343.5% |
| 1980 | -10.30 million BoP, current US$ | -97.9% |
| 1981 | 65.00 million BoP, current US$ | -731.1% |
| 1982 | 329.70 million BoP, current US$ | +407.2% |
| 1983 | 70.90 million BoP, current US$ | -78.5% |
| 1984 | 419.50 million BoP, current US$ | +491.7% |
| 1985 | -452.64 million BoP, current US$ | -207.9% |
| 1986 | -50.49 million BoP, current US$ | -88.8% |
| 1987 | -191.67 million BoP, current US$ | +279.6% |
| 1988 | 158.44 million BoP, current US$ | -182.7% |
| 1989 | -201.21 million BoP, current US$ | -227.0% |
| 1990 | -75.72 million BoP, current US$ | -62.4% |
| 1991 | 254.13 million BoP, current US$ | -435.6% |
| 1992 | 3.36 million BoP, current US$ | -98.7% |
| 1993 | 11.29 million BoP, current US$ | +236.2% |
| 1994 | 374.41 million BoP, current US$ | +3216.2% |
| 1995 | 1.25 billion BoP, current US$ | +233.4% |
| 1996 | 816.39 million BoP, current US$ | -34.6% |
| 1997 | 3.81 billion BoP, current US$ | +366.8% |
| 1998 | 550.34 million BoP, current US$ | -85.6% |
| 1999 | 1.50 billion BoP, current US$ | +173.2% |
| 2000 | 968.83 million BoP, current US$ | -35.6% |
| 2001 | 7.27 billion BoP, current US$ | +650.4% |
| 2002 | 1.48 billion BoP, current US$ | -79.6% |
| 2003 | 783.14 million BoP, current US$ | -47.1% |
| 2004 | 701.42 million BoP, current US$ | -10.4% |
| 2005 | 6.52 billion BoP, current US$ | +829.8% |
| 2006 | 623.29 million BoP, current US$ | -90.4% |
| 2007 | 6.59 billion BoP, current US$ | +956.8% |
| 2008 | 9.88 billion BoP, current US$ | +50.1% |
| 2009 | 7.62 billion BoP, current US$ | -22.9% |
| 2010 | 3.69 billion BoP, current US$ | -51.6% |
| 2011 | 4.14 billion BoP, current US$ | +12.1% |
| 2012 | 4.63 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.8% |
| 2013 | 8.23 billion BoP, current US$ | +78.0% |
| 2014 | 5.79 billion BoP, current US$ | -29.6% |
| 2015 | 1.52 billion BoP, current US$ | -73.7% |
| 2016 | 2.22 billion BoP, current US$ | +45.6% |
| 2017 | 2.06 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.1% |
| 2018 | 5.57 billion BoP, current US$ | +170.5% |
| 2019 | 5.12 billion BoP, current US$ | -8.1% |
| 2020 | 3.15 billion BoP, current US$ | -38.4% |
| 2021 | 40.66 billion BoP, current US$ | +1189.3% |
| 2022 | 9.24 billion BoP, current US$ | -77.3% |
| 2023 | 3.86 billion BoP, current US$ | -58.2% |
| 2024 | 2.33 billion BoP, current US$ | -39.7% |
| 2025 | -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ | -192.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 92.33 million BoP, current US$ | -484.55 million BoP, current US$ | 696.12 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.72 million BoP, current US$ | -452.64 million BoP, current US$ | 419.50 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 849.65 million BoP, current US$ | -75.72 million BoP, current US$ | 3.81 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.24 billion BoP, current US$ | 623.29 million BoP, current US$ | 9.88 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.30 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.52 billion BoP, current US$ | 8.23 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.51 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ | 40.66 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 189 Trinidad and Tobago -794.39 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 190 Estonia -838.20 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 191 Kazakhstan -916.40 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 193 Iraq -7.65 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 194 Norway -7.82 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 195 Austria -11.68 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.4836 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 3.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 16.1 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 106,203 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), annual 1.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per unit 0.7819 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per 5,158 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant LCU), annual growth 1.17 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant LCU), per unit of 9.97 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Africa?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Africa was -2.16 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 40.66 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025.
- How does South Africa rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- South Africa ranks 192nd out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 242.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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.