GDP per capita growth (annual %) (Country official) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: GDP per capita growth (annual %) (Country official) was 1.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
GDP per capita growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1961–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, gdp per capita growth in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 1.6%.
The figure is up 47.0% on the previous year and up 729.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gdp per capita growth in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 6.1% in 1969 and was at its lowest, -5.7%, in 2020.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 31st 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.
GDP per capita growth (annual %) (Country official) in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -1.3% | — |
| 1962 | 3.5% | -363.0% |
| 1963 | 3.6% | +4.6% |
| 1964 | 2.4% | -35.3% |
| 1965 | 2.0% | -13.3% |
| 1966 | -0.6% | -127.3% |
| 1967 | -3.3% | +494.0% |
| 1968 | 0.5% | -113.7% |
| 1969 | 6.1% | +1253.3% |
| 1970 | 4.9% | -19.4% |
| 1971 | 4.9% | -1.9% |
| 1972 | 0.2% | -95.3% |
| 1973 | 1.5% | +541.0% |
| 1974 | 4.5% | +210.8% |
| 1975 | -3.0% | -166.2% |
| 1976 | 2.2% | -174.8% |
| 1977 | -0.1% | -102.5% |
| 1978 | -3.0% | +5275.8% |
| 1979 | 0.9% | -128.2% |
| 1980 | 0.7% | -15.8% |
| 1981 | -3.7% | -618.5% |
| 1982 | -4.2% | +12.5% |
| 1983 | -5.4% | +28.1% |
| 1984 | -0.6% | -88.2% |
| 1985 | -0.9% | +42.8% |
| 1986 | -1.0% | +13.9% |
| 1987 | -0.0% | -99.9% |
| 1988 | 1.5% | -272335.0% |
| 1989 | -0.5% | -134.4% |
| 1990 | -0.5% | +2.7% |
| 1991 | -2.3% | +319.5% |
| 1992 | -3.1% | +37.0% |
| 1993 | -3.7% | +18.3% |
| 1994 | -1.6% | -56.3% |
| 1995 | 0.6% | -138.4% |
| 1996 | 2.4% | +279.5% |
| 1997 | 1.4% | -42.0% |
| 1998 | -0.2% | -112.4% |
| 1999 | -0.5% | +198.1% |
| 2000 | 0.7% | -242.9% |
| 2001 | 1.5% | +101.9% |
| 2002 | 3.6% | +143.8% |
| 2003 | 1.3% | -62.2% |
| 2004 | 3.8% | +183.5% |
| 2005 | 3.2% | -17.6% |
| 2006 | 3.2% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 3.3% | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 2.3% | -29.1% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | -85.5% |
| 2010 | 3.2% | +844.0% |
| 2011 | 1.5% | -53.7% |
| 2012 | 0.5% | -62.8% |
| 2013 | 2.4% | +343.3% |
| 2014 | 1.9% | -20.8% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | -89.7% |
| 2016 | -1.3% | -773.6% |
| 2017 | -0.2% | -88.5% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | -170.2% |
| 2019 | -0.1% | -181.5% |
| 2020 | -5.7% | +6436.6% |
| 2021 | 1.0% | -117.3% |
| 2022 | 1.5% | +49.2% |
| 2023 | 0.2% | -85.4% |
| 2024 | 1.1% | +417.0% |
| 2025 | 1.6% | +47.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where GDP per capita growth (annual %) (Country official) in Sub-Saharan Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +272335.0% | -0.0% | 1.5% |
| 2020 | -6436.6% | -0.1% | -5.7% |
| 1978 | -5275.8% | -0.1% | -3.0% |
| 1969 | +1253.3% | 0.5% | 6.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.4% | -3.3% | 6.1% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.3% | -3.0% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.4% | -5.4% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.8% | -3.7% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.3% | 0.3% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8% | -1.3% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.0% | -5.7% | 1.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per capita 23.52 units per person (2025)
- SDR Allocation, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Lending to the IMF (GRA), SDR, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, SDR, per capita 17.18 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0103 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, SDR, annual growth rate -9.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -4.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 3.32 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 12.01 units per person (2025)
- SDR Allocation, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0154 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gdp per capita growth in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Gdp per capita growth in Sub-Saharan Africa was 1.6% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest gdp per capita growth recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 6.1% in 1969.
- What is the lowest gdp per capita growth recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -5.7% in 2020.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for gdp per capita growth?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 31st out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is gdp per capita growth rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 729.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of GDP per capita growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Gross domestic product is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period. It can be measured in three different ways: using either the expenditure approach, the income approach, or the production approach. The core indicator has been divided by the general population to achieve a per capita estimate.This indicator denotes the percentage change over each previous year of the constant price (base year 2015) series in United States dollars.