Foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Africa
South Africa: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was -0.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Africa, 1970–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Africa stood at -0.5%.
That represents a change of down 187.1% on the previous year and down 215.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Africa peaked at 9.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, -0.8%, in 1979.
That places South Africa 182nd out of 200 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 | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.6% | — |
| 1971 | 1.1% | -29.6% |
| 1972 | 0.5% | -58.0% |
| 1973 | 0.1% | -82.4% |
| 1974 | 1.7% | +1943.3% |
| 1975 | 0.4% | -74.0% |
| 1976 | 0.0% | -89.8% |
| 1977 | -0.3% | -701.4% |
| 1978 | -0.2% | -21.3% |
| 1979 | -0.8% | +263.1% |
| 1980 | -0.0% | -98.5% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -705.8% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | +450.0% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | -80.8% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | +570.7% |
| 1985 | -0.7% | -242.1% |
| 1986 | -0.1% | -90.2% |
| 1987 | -0.2% | +188.5% |
| 1988 | 0.2% | -176.7% |
| 1989 | -0.2% | -222.2% |
| 1990 | -0.1% | -67.7% |
| 1991 | 0.2% | -412.9% |
| 1992 | 0.0% | -98.8% |
| 1993 | 0.0% | +235.7% |
| 1994 | 0.2% | +3079.7% |
| 1995 | 0.7% | +198.1% |
| 1996 | 0.5% | -31.2% |
| 1997 | 2.3% | +350.9% |
| 1998 | 0.4% | -84.0% |
| 1999 | 1.0% | +175.8% |
| 2000 | 0.6% | -35.7% |
| 2001 | 5.4% | +740.9% |
| 2002 | 1.1% | -78.6% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | -65.3% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | -31.0% |
| 2005 | 2.3% | +723.4% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | -90.9% |
| 2007 | 2.0% | +864.1% |
| 2008 | 3.1% | +58.1% |
| 2009 | 2.3% | -26.1% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | -61.7% |
| 2011 | 0.9% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | +17.9% |
| 2013 | 2.1% | +92.8% |
| 2014 | 1.5% | -26.0% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -71.1% |
| 2016 | 0.7% | +56.0% |
| 2017 | 0.5% | -21.2% |
| 2018 | 1.4% | +154.7% |
| 2019 | 1.3% | -4.4% |
| 2020 | 0.9% | -29.0% |
| 2021 | 9.7% | +937.5% |
| 2022 | 2.3% | -76.6% |
| 2023 | 1.0% | -55.3% |
| 2024 | 0.6% | -42.6% |
| 2025 | -0.5% | -187.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.4% | -0.8% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0% | -0.7% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5% | -0.1% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.8% | 0.2% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | 0.4% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.3% | -0.5% | 9.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 179 French Polynesia -0.2% compare
- 180 Lesotho -0.2% compare
- 181 Kazakhstan -0.3% compare
- 183 Iceland -0.5% compare
- 184 Papua New Guinea -0.6% compare
- 185 Burkina Faso -0.9% 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)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -4.01 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0094 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -192.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Africa?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Africa was -0.5% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.8% in 1979.
- How does South Africa rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- South Africa ranks 182nd out of 200 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 215.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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.