Imports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Imports of goods and services was 4.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Imports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1992–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in annual % growth.
Analysis
In 2025, imports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 4.5%.
That represents a change of up 39.7% on the previous year and up 719.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 16.7% in 2004 and was at its lowest, -12.5%, in 2011.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 26th 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, year by year
| Year | annual % growth | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | -0.9% | — |
| 1993 | 7.6% | -920.9% |
| 1994 | 14.2% | +86.7% |
| 1995 | 3.4% | -76.1% |
| 1996 | 10.9% | +220.3% |
| 1997 | 14.5% | +33.3% |
| 1998 | 7.9% | -45.4% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | -96.1% |
| 2000 | 7.8% | +2450.0% |
| 2001 | 2.0% | -73.9% |
| 2002 | 3.9% | +90.0% |
| 2003 | 10.3% | +164.8% |
| 2004 | 16.7% | +62.7% |
| 2005 | 9.9% | -40.9% |
| 2006 | 6.9% | -30.6% |
| 2007 | 10.0% | +45.3% |
| 2008 | 8.9% | -11.0% |
| 2009 | -5.2% | -159.1% |
| 2010 | 8.6% | -263.2% |
| 2011 | -12.5% | -246.5% |
| 2012 | 5.8% | -146.0% |
| 2013 | 4.2% | -27.2% |
| 2014 | 2.0% | -51.3% |
| 2015 | 0.6% | -72.9% |
| 2016 | -2.5% | -553.6% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | -161.1% |
| 2018 | 4.2% | +175.7% |
| 2019 | -0.8% | -119.7% |
| 2020 | -7.8% | +839.5% |
| 2021 | 12.3% | -257.6% |
| 2022 | 12.5% | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 0.2% | -98.1% |
| 2024 | 3.2% | +1291.3% |
| 2025 | 4.5% | +39.7% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Imports of goods and services 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +2450.0% | 0.3% | 7.8% |
| 2024 | +1291.3% | 0.2% | 3.2% |
| 1993 | +920.9% | -0.9% | 7.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.2% | -0.9% | 14.5% | 8 |
| 2000s | 7.1% | -5.2% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | -12.5% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.2% | -7.8% | 12.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2144 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 398.55 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2382 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 3.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per capita 384.35 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2297 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 8.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 358.68 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,874 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 10.5 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Imports of goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa 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?
- The highest recorded value was 16.7% in 2004.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -12.5% in 2011.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for imports of goods and services?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 26th out of 36 groups with data for 2025.
- Is imports of goods and services rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 719.6%. 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 Offices (NSOs), published as part of Imports of goods and services (annual % growth). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.