Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Namibia
Namibia: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) was 9.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Namibia, 1985–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Namibia recorded 9.6% for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
The figure is down 32.4% on the previous year and up 29.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Namibia peaked at 18.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, -1.4%, in 2020.
Namibia ranks 23rd of 201 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 1.0% | — |
| 1986 | 0.5% | -51.1% |
| 1987 | -0.0% | -101.5% |
| 1988 | -0.1% | +718.8% |
| 1989 | -0.0% | -68.7% |
| 1990 | 1.1% | -5697.3% |
| 1991 | 4.0% | +279.2% |
| 1992 | 3.4% | -14.2% |
| 1993 | 1.7% | -50.7% |
| 1994 | 2.7% | +57.2% |
| 1995 | 3.8% | +43.9% |
| 1996 | 3.2% | -16.1% |
| 1997 | 2.2% | -32.1% |
| 1998 | 2.5% | +13.5% |
| 1999 | 1.3% | -46.8% |
| 2000 | 5.0% | +279.0% |
| 2001 | 10.7% | +113.0% |
| 2002 | 4.4% | -58.7% |
| 2003 | 1.3% | -70.0% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | +155.9% |
| 2005 | 5.4% | +59.0% |
| 2006 | 7.6% | +41.8% |
| 2007 | 7.6% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 8.7% | +15.2% |
| 2009 | 9.3% | +6.4% |
| 2010 | 2.5% | -72.9% |
| 2011 | 6.4% | +155.1% |
| 2012 | 8.0% | +24.5% |
| 2013 | 6.5% | -19.2% |
| 2014 | 3.6% | -44.5% |
| 2015 | 7.4% | +106.5% |
| 2016 | 3.3% | -54.8% |
| 2017 | 2.2% | -35.0% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | -21.2% |
| 2019 | -1.4% | -182.1% |
| 2020 | -1.4% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 6.8% | -577.5% |
| 2022 | 8.4% | +24.0% |
| 2023 | 18.3% | +118.1% |
| 2024 | 14.2% | -22.6% |
| 2025 | 9.6% | -32.4% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 9.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.9%, 5.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 9.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.0%, 4.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Namibia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +5697.3% | -0.0% | 1.1% |
| 1988 | -718.8% | -0.0% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | +577.5% | -1.4% | 6.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.3% | -0.1% | 1.0% | 5 |
| 1990s | 2.6% | 1.1% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.3% | 1.3% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.0% | -1.4% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.3% | -1.4% | 18.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 21 Seychelles 10.0% compare
- 22 Cambodia 9.9% compare
- 24 Liberia 9.5% compare
- 25 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8.9% compare
- 26 United Arab Emirates 8.3% compare
More economy & growth data for Namibia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.07 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.64 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 2.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0153 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 74.4 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -2.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0111 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 54.32 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -25 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0217 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Namibia?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Namibia was 9.6% in 2025, 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 Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 18.3% in 2023.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.4% in 2020.
- How does Namibia rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Namibia ranks 23rd out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Namibia 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.
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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.