Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 0.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 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 Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) stood at 0.1%.
That represents a change of up 234.3% on the previous year and down 89.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 0.9% in 2006 and was at its lowest, -1.0%, in 2001.
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 42nd of 47 groups on this measure, 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 (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 0.1% | — |
| 1978 | 0.2% | +115.2% |
| 1979 | 0.0% | -87.5% |
| 1980 | 0.4% | +1907.7% |
| 1981 | 0.2% | -49.7% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | -73.9% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | +66.5% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | +28.6% |
| 1985 | 0.1% | +11.5% |
| 1986 | -0.1% | -147.6% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | -264.4% |
| 1988 | 0.1% | +7.2% |
| 1989 | 0.4% | +230.2% |
| 1990 | 0.2% | -54.4% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | +108.1% |
| 1992 | 0.8% | +145.0% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | -65.8% |
| 1994 | 0.5% | +65.0% |
| 1995 | 0.7% | +46.4% |
| 1996 | 0.4% | -45.8% |
| 1997 | 0.6% | +69.9% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | -79.9% |
| 1999 | 0.6% | +376.2% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | -36.5% |
| 2001 | -1.0% | -371.6% |
| 2002 | -0.1% | -93.4% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -392.4% |
| 2004 | 0.4% | +78.4% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | -9.3% |
| 2006 | 0.9% | +186.6% |
| 2007 | 0.5% | -40.5% |
| 2008 | 0.1% | -74.9% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | +117.5% |
| 2010 | 0.5% | +70.9% |
| 2011 | 0.3% | -34.9% |
| 2012 | 0.6% | +68.2% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | +39.7% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 0.6% | -21.4% |
| 2016 | 0.6% | +5.6% |
| 2017 | 0.7% | +16.8% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | -58.4% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | -30.3% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | -99.1% |
| 2021 | 0.2% | +8211.3% |
| 2022 | 0.2% | +48.4% |
| 2023 | -0.1% | -126.6% |
| 2024 | 0.1% | -234.3% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +8211.3% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| 1980 | +1907.7% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 3 |
| 1980s | 0.1% | -0.1% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2% | -1.0% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | -0.1% | 0.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 4.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.147 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 245.62 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 7.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.8257 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 1,380 current US$ per person (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 8.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), per capita 1,655 current US$ per person (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9901 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 3.8 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 0.1% 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 Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 0.9% in 2006.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.0% in 2001.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 42nd out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 89.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 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.