Imports of goods and services in Benin
Benin: Imports of goods and services was 20.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Imports of goods and services in Benin, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Benin recorded 20.1% for imports of goods and services in 2025.
That represents a change of down 8.0% on the previous year and down 37.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in Benin peaked at 44.0% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 9.5%, in 1961.
That places Benin 178th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Imports of goods and services in Benin, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 12.1% | — |
| 1961 | 9.5% | -21.3% |
| 1962 | 10.0% | +4.5% |
| 1963 | 11.6% | +16.7% |
| 1964 | 12.2% | +5.3% |
| 1965 | 14.9% | +21.7% |
| 1966 | 16.2% | +8.7% |
| 1967 | 19.8% | +22.1% |
| 1968 | 19.1% | -3.5% |
| 1969 | 21.4% | +12.3% |
| 1970 | 24.5% | +14.2% |
| 1971 | 27.8% | +13.8% |
| 1972 | 26.8% | -3.7% |
| 1973 | 26.0% | -3.2% |
| 1974 | 29.5% | +13.7% |
| 1975 | 33.4% | +13.3% |
| 1976 | 31.0% | -7.1% |
| 1977 | 34.8% | +12.1% |
| 1978 | 34.5% | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 37.0% | +7.2% |
| 1980 | 37.3% | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 44.0% | +17.8% |
| 1982 | 40.1% | -8.8% |
| 1983 | 31.6% | -21.2% |
| 1984 | 30.9% | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 36.6% | +18.5% |
| 1986 | 32.6% | -11.0% |
| 1987 | 31.0% | -5.1% |
| 1988 | 32.1% | +3.7% |
| 1989 | 24.8% | -22.7% |
| 1990 | 26.5% | +7.0% |
| 1991 | 30.3% | +14.3% |
| 1992 | 33.5% | +10.4% |
| 1993 | 32.9% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 36.1% | +9.6% |
| 1995 | 36.4% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 30.0% | -17.6% |
| 1997 | 31.5% | +5.1% |
| 1998 | 32.5% | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 31.4% | -3.4% |
| 2000 | 26.7% | -14.8% |
| 2001 | 28.4% | +6.2% |
| 2002 | 24.0% | -15.3% |
| 2003 | 23.0% | -4.5% |
| 2004 | 21.4% | -6.9% |
| 2005 | 20.6% | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 21.7% | +5.4% |
| 2007 | 27.1% | +24.7% |
| 2008 | 25.6% | -5.3% |
| 2009 | 24.8% | -3.4% |
| 2010 | 28.4% | +14.5% |
| 2011 | 26.4% | -7.0% |
| 2012 | 26.8% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 31.6% | +17.8% |
| 2014 | 33.8% | +7.0% |
| 2015 | 32.0% | -5.3% |
| 2016 | 31.4% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 34.3% | +9.2% |
| 2018 | 34.5% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 34.1% | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 25.0% | -26.7% |
| 2021 | 27.1% | +8.7% |
| 2022 | 23.6% | -13.2% |
| 2023 | 24.7% | +4.6% |
| 2024 | 21.8% | -11.6% |
| 2025 | 20.1% | -8.0% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 20.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 41.9%, 48% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Benin's 20.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30.0%, 67% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 14.7% | 9.5% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 30.5% | 24.5% | 37.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 34.1% | 24.8% | 44.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.1% | 26.5% | 36.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.3% | 20.6% | 28.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.3% | 26.4% | 34.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.7% | 20.1% | 27.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More economy & growth data for Benin
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.42 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 6.03 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 60.28 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0028 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 4.17 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 543.01 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 22.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0253 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 37.55 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 12.54 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imports of goods and services in Benin?
- Imports of goods and services in Benin was 20.1% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 44.0% in 1981.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.5% in 1961.
- How does Benin rank for imports of goods and services?
- Benin ranks 178th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is imports of goods and services rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). 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 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.