Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 2.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Africa Western and Central, 1970–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows in Africa Western and Central is 2.4%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 16.7% on the previous year and up 32.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Africa Western and Central peaked at 3.5% in 2011 and was at its lowest, -0.2%, in 1980.
Africa Western and Central ranks 13th of 47 groups 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 in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.8% | — |
| 1971 | 1.9% | +5.6% |
| 1972 | 1.9% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 1.8% | -7.9% |
| 1974 | 1.1% | -40.2% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | +61.3% |
| 1976 | 0.9% | -47.5% |
| 1977 | 1.1% | +22.0% |
| 1978 | 1.0% | -11.7% |
| 1979 | 0.8% | -15.1% |
| 1980 | -0.2% | -123.1% |
| 1981 | 0.5% | -386.7% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | -17.1% |
| 1983 | 0.5% | +13.3% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | -49.1% |
| 1985 | 0.6% | +151.0% |
| 1986 | 0.2% | -71.2% |
| 1987 | 0.9% | +393.6% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | -5.5% |
| 1989 | 2.5% | +182.0% |
| 1990 | 0.9% | -64.8% |
| 1991 | 0.6% | -25.8% |
| 1992 | 1.0% | +51.2% |
| 1993 | 1.3% | +39.1% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | +31.1% |
| 1995 | 0.5% | -74.2% |
| 1996 | 0.4% | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 0.6% | +30.8% |
| 1998 | 0.6% | +8.8% |
| 1999 | 1.7% | +167.1% |
| 2000 | 1.8% | +5.1% |
| 2001 | 2.1% | +19.2% |
| 2002 | 2.4% | +14.4% |
| 2003 | 2.5% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 1.8% | -28.5% |
| 2005 | 2.9% | +62.5% |
| 2006 | 2.3% | -21.9% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | +20.9% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 3.5% | +24.1% |
| 2010 | 3.2% | -10.6% |
| 2011 | 3.5% | +12.5% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | -21.1% |
| 2013 | 2.3% | -18.8% |
| 2014 | 1.8% | -19.1% |
| 2015 | 2.1% | +16.2% |
| 2016 | 2.2% | +4.8% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | +14.3% |
| 2018 | 1.9% | -25.1% |
| 2019 | 1.2% | -35.9% |
| 2020 | 1.0% | -15.2% |
| 2021 | 1.6% | +53.8% |
| 2022 | 1.5% | -8.3% |
| 2023 | 2.1% | +41.8% |
| 2024 | 2.4% | +16.7% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Africa Western and Central 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +393.6% | 0.2% | 0.9% |
| 1981 | +386.7% | -0.2% | 0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.4% | 0.8% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7% | -0.2% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9% | 0.4% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.5% | 1.8% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 1.2% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.0% | 2.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 10 Namibia 14.2% compare
- 11 Timor-Leste 13.3% compare
- 12 Mauritania 13.2% compare
- 13 Antigua and Barbuda 12.1% compare
- 14 Grenada 12.0% compare
- 15 Mongolia 11.7% compare
- 16 Oman 11.6% compare
More economy & growth data for Africa Western and Central
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) 942.07 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 368.43 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 19.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4965 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per capita 794.5 current US$ per person (2025)
- Inflation, GDP deflator 2.8% (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) 807.39 billion current US$ (2025)
- GDP growth 4.6% (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.6205 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 5 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Africa Western and Central?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Africa Western and Central was 2.4% in 2024, according to International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 3.5% in 2011.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2% in 1980.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 13th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Foreign direct investment is the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows net inflows (new investment inflows less disinvestment) in the reporting economy from foreign investors, and is divided by GDP.