Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Eswatini
Eswatini: Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) was -5.55 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Eswatini, 1974–2025
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$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net outflows in Eswatini is -5.55 million BoP, current US$, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 108.7% on the previous year and down 354.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Eswatini peaked at 64.69 million BoP, current US$ in 1994 and was at its lowest, -22.03 million BoP, current US$, in 2005.
That places Eswatini 174th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1975 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1976 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1977 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1978 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1979 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1980 | 8.99 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1981 | -569,749 BoP, current US$ | -106.3% |
| 1982 | -276,290 BoP, current US$ | -51.5% |
| 1983 | 89,758 BoP, current US$ | -132.5% |
| 1984 | 3.25 million BoP, current US$ | +3524.9% |
| 1985 | 1.71 million BoP, current US$ | -47.6% |
| 1986 | 2.28 million BoP, current US$ | +33.5% |
| 1987 | 6.68 million BoP, current US$ | +193.5% |
| 1988 | 12.27 million BoP, current US$ | +83.7% |
| 1989 | 15.63 million BoP, current US$ | +27.4% |
| 1990 | 7.61 million BoP, current US$ | -51.3% |
| 1991 | 25.02 million BoP, current US$ | +228.7% |
| 1992 | 33.17 million BoP, current US$ | +32.5% |
| 1993 | 27.78 million BoP, current US$ | -16.2% |
| 1994 | 64.69 million BoP, current US$ | +132.9% |
| 1995 | 20.59 million BoP, current US$ | -68.2% |
| 1996 | -6.45 million BoP, current US$ | -131.3% |
| 1997 | -11.99 million BoP, current US$ | +85.9% |
| 1998 | 23.92 million BoP, current US$ | -299.5% |
| 1999 | 13.24 million BoP, current US$ | -44.7% |
| 2000 | 17.07 million BoP, current US$ | +29.0% |
| 2001 | -17.70 million BoP, current US$ | -203.7% |
| 2002 | 326,827 BoP, current US$ | -101.8% |
| 2003 | 17.07 million BoP, current US$ | +5123.8% |
| 2004 | -1.45 million BoP, current US$ | -108.5% |
| 2005 | -22.03 million BoP, current US$ | +1422.6% |
| 2006 | -614,586 BoP, current US$ | -97.2% |
| 2007 | 23.16 million BoP, current US$ | -3869.2% |
| 2008 | -7.94 million BoP, current US$ | -134.3% |
| 2009 | 7.02 million BoP, current US$ | -188.4% |
| 2010 | 3.91 million BoP, current US$ | -44.3% |
| 2011 | 397,540 BoP, current US$ | -89.8% |
| 2012 | -8.26 million BoP, current US$ | -2178.0% |
| 2013 | -4.89 million BoP, current US$ | -40.9% |
| 2014 | 528,943 BoP, current US$ | -110.8% |
| 2015 | -1.22 million BoP, current US$ | -330.9% |
| 2016 | -7.31 million BoP, current US$ | +498.3% |
| 2017 | 63.84 million BoP, current US$ | -973.6% |
| 2018 | -8.06 million BoP, current US$ | -112.6% |
| 2019 | 20.91 million BoP, current US$ | -359.6% |
| 2020 | -12.31 million BoP, current US$ | -158.9% |
| 2021 | 58.54 million BoP, current US$ | -575.6% |
| 2022 | -21.71 million BoP, current US$ | -137.1% |
| 2023 | -21.93 million BoP, current US$ | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 63.77 million BoP, current US$ | -390.8% |
| 2025 | -5.55 million BoP, current US$ | -108.7% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's -5.55 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 38.34 million BoP, current US$. (45 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's -5.55 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.73 million BoP, current US$. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Eswatini 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +5123.8% | 326,827 BoP, current US$ | 17.07 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2007 | +3869.2% | -614,586 BoP, current US$ | 23.16 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1984 | +3524.9% | 89,758 BoP, current US$ | 3.25 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2012 | -2178.0% | 397,540 BoP, current US$ | -8.26 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2005 | -1422.6% | -1.45 million BoP, current US$ | -22.03 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 BoP, current US$ | 0 BoP, current US$ | 0 BoP, current US$ | 6 |
| 1980s | 5.01 million BoP, current US$ | -569,749 BoP, current US$ | 15.63 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.76 million BoP, current US$ | -11.99 million BoP, current US$ | 64.69 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.49 million BoP, current US$ | -22.03 million BoP, current US$ | 23.16 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.99 million BoP, current US$ | -8.26 million BoP, current US$ | 63.84 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.14 million BoP, current US$ | -21.93 million BoP, current US$ | 63.77 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
- 171 Jamaica -1.18 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 172 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -2.08 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 173 Grenada -3.62 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 175 Antigua and Barbuda -9.34 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 176 Seychelles -47.27 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 177 Turks and Caicos Islands -51.54 million BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Eswatini
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -15.82 % change on previous year (2024)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -56.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0008 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 3.28 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -58.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 2.4 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -25.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0191 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per capita 78.44 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Eswatini?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Eswatini was -5.55 million 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 outflows recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 64.69 million BoP, current US$ in 1994.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was -22.03 million BoP, current US$ in 2005.
- How does Eswatini rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Eswatini ranks 174th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is down 354.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Eswatini 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 outflows (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 an 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. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world. Data are in current U.S. dollars.