Personal remittances, paid in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Personal remittances, paid was 4.48 billion current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Personal remittances, paid in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1970–2025
Source: IMF balance of payments data, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for personal remittances, paid in Sub-Saharan Africa is 4.48 billion current US$, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 56.6% on the previous year and down 59.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances, paid in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 11.16 billion current US$ in 2023 and was at its lowest, 236.60 million current US$, in 1970.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 29th of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Personal remittances, paid in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 236.60 million current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 283.82 million current US$ | +20.0% |
| 1972 | 279.51 million current US$ | -1.5% |
| 1973 | 423.84 million current US$ | +51.6% |
| 1974 | 653.05 million current US$ | +54.1% |
| 1975 | 1.03 billion current US$ | +57.8% |
| 1976 | 1.10 billion current US$ | +6.3% |
| 1977 | 1.48 billion current US$ | +35.5% |
| 1978 | 1.93 billion current US$ | +29.9% |
| 1979 | 2.60 billion current US$ | +34.8% |
| 1980 | 3.35 billion current US$ | +28.8% |
| 1981 | 2.91 billion current US$ | -13.1% |
| 1982 | 2.63 billion current US$ | -9.7% |
| 1983 | 2.70 billion current US$ | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 2.36 billion current US$ | -12.6% |
| 1985 | 2.17 billion current US$ | -8.1% |
| 1986 | 2.53 billion current US$ | +16.6% |
| 1987 | 2.64 billion current US$ | +4.4% |
| 1988 | 2.63 billion current US$ | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 2.48 billion current US$ | -5.6% |
| 1990 | 2.77 billion current US$ | +11.9% |
| 1991 | 2.41 billion current US$ | -13.2% |
| 1992 | 2.43 billion current US$ | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 2.20 billion current US$ | -9.5% |
| 1994 | 1.88 billion current US$ | -14.8% |
| 1995 | 1.99 billion current US$ | +6.2% |
| 1996 | 1.87 billion current US$ | -6.2% |
| 1997 | 2.04 billion current US$ | +9.0% |
| 1998 | 2.10 billion current US$ | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 2.40 billion current US$ | +14.0% |
| 2000 | 2.41 billion current US$ | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 2.21 billion current US$ | -8.1% |
| 2002 | 2.39 billion current US$ | +7.9% |
| 2003 | 2.74 billion current US$ | +15.0% |
| 2004 | 2.96 billion current US$ | +8.1% |
| 2005 | 3.29 billion current US$ | +11.0% |
| 2006 | 3.49 billion current US$ | +5.9% |
| 2007 | 4.13 billion current US$ | +18.5% |
| 2008 | 4.56 billion current US$ | +10.4% |
| 2009 | 4.86 billion current US$ | +6.7% |
| 2010 | 5.36 billion current US$ | +10.2% |
| 2011 | 6.31 billion current US$ | +17.8% |
| 2012 | 8.10 billion current US$ | +28.3% |
| 2013 | 8.68 billion current US$ | +7.1% |
| 2014 | 9.36 billion current US$ | +7.9% |
| 2015 | 11.14 billion current US$ | +19.0% |
| 2016 | 9.36 billion current US$ | -15.9% |
| 2017 | 8.56 billion current US$ | -8.6% |
| 2018 | 8.99 billion current US$ | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 8.50 billion current US$ | -5.5% |
| 2020 | 8.69 billion current US$ | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 8.73 billion current US$ | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 10.73 billion current US$ | +23.0% |
| 2023 | 11.16 billion current US$ | +4.0% |
| 2024 | 10.34 billion current US$ | -7.3% |
| 2025 | 4.48 billion current US$ | -56.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.00 billion current US$ | 236.60 million current US$ | 2.60 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.64 billion current US$ | 2.17 billion current US$ | 3.35 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.21 billion current US$ | 1.87 billion current US$ | 2.77 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.30 billion current US$ | 2.21 billion current US$ | 4.86 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.44 billion current US$ | 5.36 billion current US$ | 11.14 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.02 billion current US$ | 4.48 billion current US$ | 11.16 billion current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 26 Czechia 5.96 billion current US$ compare
- 27 Poland 5.60 billion current US$ compare
- 28 Denmark 4.85 billion current US$ compare
- 29 Libya 4.82 billion current US$ compare
- 30 Sweden 4.20 billion current US$ compare
- 31 Greece 3.17 billion current US$ compare
- 32 Kazakhstan 2.73 billion current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- GNI (current US$), per capita 1,624 current US$ per person (2025)
- GNI (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9709 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.9653 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GNI (current US$), annual growth rate 11.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), per capita 1,610 current US$ per person (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9626 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,615 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), annual growth rate 3.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per capita 16.47 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is personal remittances, paid in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Personal remittances, paid in Sub-Saharan Africa was 4.48 billion current US$ in 2025, according to IMF balance of payments data, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest personal remittances, paid recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11.16 billion current US$ in 2023.
- What is the lowest personal remittances, paid recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 236.60 million current US$ in 1970.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for personal remittances, paid?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 29th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is personal remittances, paid rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 59.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from IMF balance of payments data, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Personal remittances, paid (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Personal remittances comprise personal transfers and compensation of employees. Personal transfers consist of all current transfers in cash or in kind made or received by resident households to or from nonresident households. Personal transfers thus include all current transfers between resident and nonresident individuals. Compensation of employees refers to the income of border, seasonal, and other short-term workers who are employed in an economy where they are not resident and of residents employed by nonresident entities. Data are the sum of two items defined in the sixth edition of the IMF's Balance of Payments Manual: personal transfers and compensation of employees. Data are in current U.S. dollars.