Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 0.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Africa Western and Central, 1977–2024
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 % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Africa Western and Central stood at 0.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 70.7% on the previous year and down 62.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Africa Western and Central peaked at 0.9% in 1989 and was at its lowest, -0.3%, in 1998.
Africa Western and Central ranks 35th 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 outflows in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 0.1% | — |
| 1978 | 0.0% | -74.7% |
| 1979 | 0.0% | +112.0% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | +673.1% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | -84.3% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | +158.2% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | -37.3% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | +27.6% |
| 1985 | 0.2% | +178.7% |
| 1986 | -0.2% | -199.8% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | -137.5% |
| 1988 | 0.2% | +206.2% |
| 1989 | 0.9% | +256.3% |
| 1990 | 0.4% | -59.5% |
| 1991 | 0.6% | +67.2% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | -39.3% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | +17.6% |
| 1994 | 0.2% | -61.0% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | -13.0% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | +99.3% |
| 1997 | 0.3% | +4.6% |
| 1998 | -0.3% | -204.4% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | -200.3% |
| 2000 | 0.8% | +154.8% |
| 2001 | -0.3% | -132.6% |
| 2002 | -0.0% | -95.9% |
| 2003 | 0.1% | -857.3% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | -79.2% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | +1914.8% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | -29.0% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | +4.4% |
| 2008 | 0.2% | -35.7% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | +67.7% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | +147.3% |
| 2011 | 0.4% | -44.1% |
| 2012 | 0.6% | +70.2% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | -36.1% |
| 2014 | 0.5% | +14.3% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -16.8% |
| 2016 | 0.4% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | -53.1% |
| 2018 | 0.0% | -85.0% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | +658.2% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | -35.7% |
| 2021 | 0.3% | +112.6% |
| 2022 | 0.0% | -86.4% |
| 2023 | 0.1% | +172.9% |
| 2024 | 0.2% | +70.7% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +1914.8% | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| 2003 | +857.3% | -0.0% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 3 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | -0.2% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | -0.3% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2% | -0.3% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
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 outflows in Africa Western and Central?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Africa Western and Central was 0.2% in 2024, 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 Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 0.9% in 1989.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.3% in 1998.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 35th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 62.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central 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 (% of GDP). 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, and is divided by GDP.