Gross capital formation in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Gross capital formation was 23.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Gross capital formation in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1990–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 23.1% for gross capital formation in 2025.
The figure is down 3.6% on the previous year and down 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross capital formation in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 25.3% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 17.2%, in 1997.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 26th out of 43 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Gross capital formation in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 23.3% | — |
| 1991 | 22.5% | -3.5% |
| 1992 | 22.4% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 21.1% | -5.8% |
| 1994 | 22.5% | +6.8% |
| 1995 | 20.2% | -10.3% |
| 1996 | 18.1% | -10.5% |
| 1997 | 17.2% | -4.6% |
| 1998 | 17.7% | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 23.4% | +32.3% |
| 2000 | 23.0% | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 22.3% | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 20.7% | -7.4% |
| 2003 | 22.3% | +7.9% |
| 2004 | 23.3% | +4.5% |
| 2005 | 22.5% | -3.4% |
| 2006 | 22.0% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 23.1% | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 24.7% | +6.8% |
| 2009 | 25.3% | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 23.6% | -6.6% |
| 2011 | 24.2% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 24.6% | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 24.7% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 24.8% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 24.5% | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 24.2% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 24.5% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 24.2% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 21.1% | -12.8% |
| 2020 | 19.8% | -6.1% |
| 2021 | 20.7% | +4.3% |
| 2022 | 21.6% | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 22.5% | +4.1% |
| 2024 | 24.0% | +6.5% |
| 2025 | 23.1% | -3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.8% | 17.2% | 23.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.9% | 20.7% | 25.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.0% | 21.1% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.9% | 19.8% | 24.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- 23 Morocco 31.9% compare
- 24 North Macedonia 31.7% compare
- 25 Türkiye 31.7% compare
- 26 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 31.7% compare
- 27 Saudi Arabia 31.6% compare
- 28 Cambodia 31.5% compare
- 29 Mongolia 31.4% compare
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 5.26 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 7.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 246.12 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,426 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 3.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 283.73 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.1696 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 9.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0012 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -1.99 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross capital formation in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Gross capital formation in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 23.1% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest gross capital formation recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 25.3% in 2009.
- What is the lowest gross capital formation recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.2% in 1997.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for gross capital formation?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 26th out of 43 groups with data for 2025.
- Is gross capital formation rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of Gross capital formation (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Gross capital formation includes acquisitions less disposals of produced assets for purposes of fixed capital formation, inventories or valuables. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.