Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was 46.92 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sub-Saharan 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$.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 46.92 billion BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.9% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 69.08 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 255.53 million BoP, current US$, in 1980.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 29th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 829.17 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 715.17 million BoP, current US$ | -13.7% |
| 1972 | 695.55 million BoP, current US$ | -2.7% |
| 1973 | 818.97 million BoP, current US$ | +17.7% |
| 1974 | 1.42 billion BoP, current US$ | +73.0% |
| 1975 | 1.29 billion BoP, current US$ | -9.2% |
| 1976 | 1.02 billion BoP, current US$ | -20.9% |
| 1977 | 845.89 million BoP, current US$ | -16.8% |
| 1978 | 919.84 million BoP, current US$ | +8.7% |
| 1979 | 773.36 million BoP, current US$ | -15.9% |
| 1980 | 255.53 million BoP, current US$ | -67.0% |
| 1981 | 1.55 billion BoP, current US$ | +504.6% |
| 1982 | 1.46 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.5% |
| 1983 | 854.46 million BoP, current US$ | -41.5% |
| 1984 | 937.81 million BoP, current US$ | +9.8% |
| 1985 | 1.00 billion BoP, current US$ | +6.6% |
| 1986 | 615.48 million BoP, current US$ | -38.5% |
| 1987 | 1.32 billion BoP, current US$ | +114.1% |
| 1988 | 1.51 billion BoP, current US$ | +14.6% |
| 1989 | 2.97 billion BoP, current US$ | +96.6% |
| 1990 | 1.17 billion BoP, current US$ | -60.5% |
| 1991 | 2.09 billion BoP, current US$ | +77.7% |
| 1992 | 1.87 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.5% |
| 1993 | 2.60 billion BoP, current US$ | +39.1% |
| 1994 | 3.58 billion BoP, current US$ | +37.7% |
| 1995 | 3.61 billion BoP, current US$ | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 3.27 billion BoP, current US$ | -9.4% |
| 1997 | 7.38 billion BoP, current US$ | +125.7% |
| 1998 | 6.02 billion BoP, current US$ | -18.4% |
| 1999 | 8.56 billion BoP, current US$ | +42.1% |
| 2000 | 6.83 billion BoP, current US$ | -20.1% |
| 2001 | 15.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +125.5% |
| 2002 | 10.83 billion BoP, current US$ | -29.7% |
| 2003 | 13.78 billion BoP, current US$ | +27.2% |
| 2004 | 12.59 billion BoP, current US$ | -8.6% |
| 2005 | 19.61 billion BoP, current US$ | +55.7% |
| 2006 | 16.42 billion BoP, current US$ | -16.2% |
| 2007 | 29.15 billion BoP, current US$ | +77.5% |
| 2008 | 38.78 billion BoP, current US$ | +33.1% |
| 2009 | 36.54 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.8% |
| 2010 | 32.72 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.4% |
| 2011 | 42.01 billion BoP, current US$ | +28.4% |
| 2012 | 45.51 billion BoP, current US$ | +8.3% |
| 2013 | 40.65 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.7% |
| 2014 | 44.25 billion BoP, current US$ | +8.9% |
| 2015 | 45.20 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 31.33 billion BoP, current US$ | -30.7% |
| 2017 | 20.53 billion BoP, current US$ | -34.5% |
| 2018 | 16.82 billion BoP, current US$ | -18.1% |
| 2019 | 25.27 billion BoP, current US$ | +50.3% |
| 2020 | 21.32 billion BoP, current US$ | -15.6% |
| 2021 | 69.08 billion BoP, current US$ | +223.9% |
| 2022 | 32.93 billion BoP, current US$ | -52.3% |
| 2023 | 40.72 billion BoP, current US$ | +23.6% |
| 2024 | 43.46 billion BoP, current US$ | +6.7% |
| 2025 | 46.92 billion BoP, current US$ | +7.9% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Sub-Saharan Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +504.6% | 255.53 million BoP, current US$ | 1.55 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 2021 | +223.9% | 21.32 billion BoP, current US$ | 69.08 billion BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 931.73 million BoP, current US$ | 695.55 million BoP, current US$ | 1.42 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.25 billion BoP, current US$ | 255.53 million BoP, current US$ | 2.97 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.01 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.17 billion BoP, current US$ | 8.56 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.99 billion BoP, current US$ | 6.83 billion BoP, current US$ | 38.78 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.43 billion BoP, current US$ | 16.82 billion BoP, current US$ | 45.51 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.41 billion BoP, current US$ | 21.32 billion BoP, current US$ | 69.08 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 26 Sweden 17.26 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 27 Denmark 16.95 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 28 South Korea 15.80 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 29 Egypt 15.45 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 30 Chile 14.51 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 31 Malta 14.36 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 32 Greece 13.57 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per capita 23.52 units per person (2025)
- SDR Allocation, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Lending to the IMF (GRA), SDR, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, SDR, per capita 17.18 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0103 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, SDR, annual growth rate -9.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -4.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 3.32 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 12.01 units per person (2025)
- SDR Allocation, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0154 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sub-Saharan Africa was 46.92 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 69.08 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 255.53 million BoP, current US$ in 1980.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 29th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan 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.