Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was -2.63 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows 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$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sub-Saharan Africa is -2.63 billion BoP, current US$, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 305.5% on the previous year and down 130.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 12.43 billion BoP, current US$ in 2013 and was at its lowest, -3.51 billion BoP, current US$, in 2001.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 41st out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 16.80 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 29.36 million BoP, current US$ | +74.8% |
| 1972 | 19.51 million BoP, current US$ | -33.5% |
| 1973 | 55.88 million BoP, current US$ | +186.3% |
| 1974 | 123.73 million BoP, current US$ | +121.4% |
| 1975 | 137.86 million BoP, current US$ | +11.4% |
| 1976 | 90.27 million BoP, current US$ | -34.5% |
| 1977 | 104.36 million BoP, current US$ | +15.6% |
| 1978 | 251.74 million BoP, current US$ | +141.2% |
| 1979 | 40.99 million BoP, current US$ | -83.7% |
| 1980 | 1.01 billion BoP, current US$ | +2362.8% |
| 1981 | 729.92 million BoP, current US$ | -27.7% |
| 1982 | 177.54 million BoP, current US$ | -75.7% |
| 1983 | 256.94 million BoP, current US$ | +44.7% |
| 1984 | 289.86 million BoP, current US$ | +12.8% |
| 1985 | 345.71 million BoP, current US$ | +19.3% |
| 1986 | -146.33 million BoP, current US$ | -142.3% |
| 1987 | 278.56 million BoP, current US$ | -290.4% |
| 1988 | 314.99 million BoP, current US$ | +13.1% |
| 1989 | 1.05 billion BoP, current US$ | +232.1% |
| 1990 | 448.87 million BoP, current US$ | -57.1% |
| 1991 | 939.45 million BoP, current US$ | +109.3% |
| 1992 | 2.43 billion BoP, current US$ | +158.2% |
| 1993 | 870.05 million BoP, current US$ | -64.1% |
| 1994 | 1.57 billion BoP, current US$ | +79.9% |
| 1995 | 2.88 billion BoP, current US$ | +84.1% |
| 1996 | 1.84 billion BoP, current US$ | -36.3% |
| 1997 | 3.20 billion BoP, current US$ | +74.4% |
| 1998 | 633.23 million BoP, current US$ | -80.2% |
| 1999 | 2.02 billion BoP, current US$ | +218.7% |
| 2000 | 1.30 billion BoP, current US$ | -35.6% |
| 2001 | -3.51 billion BoP, current US$ | -369.7% |
| 2002 | -254.84 million BoP, current US$ | -92.7% |
| 2003 | 965.33 million BoP, current US$ | -478.8% |
| 2004 | 2.09 billion BoP, current US$ | +116.9% |
| 2005 | 2.24 billion BoP, current US$ | +6.8% |
| 2006 | 7.41 billion BoP, current US$ | +231.3% |
| 2007 | 5.14 billion BoP, current US$ | -30.7% |
| 2008 | 1.50 billion BoP, current US$ | -70.8% |
| 2009 | 3.16 billion BoP, current US$ | +110.8% |
| 2010 | 6.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +102.7% |
| 2011 | 4.83 billion BoP, current US$ | -24.6% |
| 2012 | 8.65 billion BoP, current US$ | +79.2% |
| 2013 | 12.43 billion BoP, current US$ | +43.7% |
| 2014 | 12.37 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 8.60 billion BoP, current US$ | -30.5% |
| 2016 | 8.10 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.9% |
| 2017 | 11.10 billion BoP, current US$ | +37.1% |
| 2018 | 4.74 billion BoP, current US$ | -57.3% |
| 2019 | 3.78 billion BoP, current US$ | -20.3% |
| 2020 | -24.15 million BoP, current US$ | -100.6% |
| 2021 | 2.84 billion BoP, current US$ | -11874.7% |
| 2022 | 4.43 billion BoP, current US$ | +55.8% |
| 2023 | -1.11 billion BoP, current US$ | -125.1% |
| 2024 | 1.28 billion BoP, current US$ | -215.2% |
| 2025 | -2.63 billion BoP, current US$ | -305.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 87.05 million BoP, current US$ | 16.80 million BoP, current US$ | 251.74 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 430.27 million BoP, current US$ | -146.33 million BoP, current US$ | 1.05 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.68 billion BoP, current US$ | 448.87 million BoP, current US$ | 3.20 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.00 billion BoP, current US$ | -3.51 billion BoP, current US$ | 7.41 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.10 billion BoP, current US$ | 3.78 billion BoP, current US$ | 12.43 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 797.72 million BoP, current US$ | -2.63 billion BoP, current US$ | 4.43 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 38 Kuwait 2.99 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 39 Argentina 2.83 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 40 Croatia 2.79 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 41 Venezuela 2.60 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 42 Greece 2.22 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 43 Slovakia 1.86 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 44 Philippines 1.60 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per capita 16.47 current US$ per person (2025)
- GDP (current US$), annual growth rate 11.12 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (current US$), per capita 1,673 current US$ per person (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.9653 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,615 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), annual growth rate 161.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0098 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), annual growth rate 3.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- GNI (current US$), per capita 1,624 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sub-Saharan Africa was -2.63 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 outflows recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 12.43 billion BoP, current US$ in 2013.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.51 billion BoP, current US$ in 2001.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 41st out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 130.6%. 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 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.