Imports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Imports of goods and services was 4.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Imports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1992–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in annual % growth.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) recorded 4.5% for imports of goods and services in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 39.5% on the previous year and up 675.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 16.7% in 2004 and was at its lowest, -12.6%, in 2011.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 25th out of 36 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Imports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | annual % growth | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | -1.0% | — |
| 1993 | 7.5% | -863.5% |
| 1994 | 14.4% | +91.7% |
| 1995 | 3.3% | -76.8% |
| 1996 | 10.8% | +223.4% |
| 1997 | 14.5% | +34.3% |
| 1998 | 7.9% | -45.7% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | -96.0% |
| 2000 | 8.0% | +2439.0% |
| 2001 | 2.0% | -75.5% |
| 2002 | 4.0% | +102.8% |
| 2003 | 10.3% | +159.9% |
| 2004 | 16.7% | +61.7% |
| 2005 | 9.8% | -41.2% |
| 2006 | 6.8% | -30.8% |
| 2007 | 10.1% | +48.0% |
| 2008 | 8.9% | -11.8% |
| 2009 | -5.3% | -159.2% |
| 2010 | 8.6% | -262.9% |
| 2011 | -12.6% | -247.0% |
| 2012 | 5.7% | -145.5% |
| 2013 | 4.2% | -26.9% |
| 2014 | 2.0% | -52.5% |
| 2015 | 0.6% | -70.5% |
| 2016 | -2.6% | -537.1% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | -157.5% |
| 2018 | 4.3% | +189.0% |
| 2019 | -0.8% | -119.4% |
| 2020 | -7.8% | +844.6% |
| 2021 | 12.3% | -257.9% |
| 2022 | 12.5% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 0.2% | -98.2% |
| 2024 | 3.3% | +1358.8% |
| 2025 | 4.5% | +39.5% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Imports of goods and services 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +2439.0% | 0.3% | 8.0% |
| 2024 | +1358.8% | 0.2% | 3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.2% | -1.0% | 14.5% | 8 |
| 2000s | 7.1% | -5.3% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | -12.6% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.2% | -7.8% | 12.5% | 6 |
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 imports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Imports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 4.5% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 16.7% in 2004.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was -12.6% in 2011.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for imports of goods and services?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 25th out of 36 groups with data for 2025.
- Is imports of goods and services rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 675.7%. 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 Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Imports of goods and services (annual % growth). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Imports of goods includes change in the economic ownership of goods from non-residents to residents of the compiling economy, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Imports of services includes services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator denotes the percentage change over each previous year of the constant price (base year 2015) series in United States dollars.