Transport services in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Transport services was 38.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Transport services in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1977–2024
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of service imports, BoP.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 38.4% for transport services in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.7% on the previous year and up 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 45.4% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 31.7%, in 2001.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 12th out of 47 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 48 years of available data.
Transport services in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of service imports, BoP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 41.3% | — |
| 1978 | 44.7% | +8.1% |
| 1979 | 41.6% | -6.8% |
| 1980 | 40.9% | -1.8% |
| 1981 | 43.4% | +6.1% |
| 1982 | 40.9% | -5.8% |
| 1983 | 39.0% | -4.6% |
| 1984 | 40.3% | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 41.2% | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 41.9% | +1.7% |
| 1987 | 39.9% | -4.7% |
| 1988 | 40.9% | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 41.4% | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 39.5% | -4.7% |
| 1991 | 40.8% | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 40.4% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 35.6% | -11.9% |
| 1994 | 35.3% | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 33.4% | -5.4% |
| 1996 | 32.4% | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 34.4% | +6.2% |
| 1998 | 33.5% | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 34.2% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 34.0% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 31.7% | -6.7% |
| 2002 | 32.2% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 34.9% | +8.3% |
| 2004 | 37.3% | +6.9% |
| 2005 | 38.9% | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 35.1% | -9.8% |
| 2007 | 35.2% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 34.2% | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 34.7% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 36.2% | +4.5% |
| 2011 | 34.9% | -3.8% |
| 2012 | 38.5% | +10.4% |
| 2013 | 38.1% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 36.8% | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 37.9% | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 39.0% | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 34.6% | -11.2% |
| 2018 | 33.9% | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 32.6% | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 35.1% | +7.5% |
| 2021 | 41.0% | +16.9% |
| 2022 | 45.4% | +10.7% |
| 2023 | 40.3% | -11.2% |
| 2024 | 38.4% | -4.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 42.5% | 41.3% | 44.7% | 3 |
| 1980s | 41.0% | 39.0% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 35.9% | 32.4% | 40.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.8% | 31.7% | 38.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.3% | 32.6% | 39.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.0% | 35.1% | 45.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (constant 2015 US$), 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)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2144 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 1.12 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,874 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Transport services in Sub-Saharan Africa was 38.4% in 2024, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 45.4% in 2022.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.7% in 2001.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for transport services?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 12th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is transport services rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Transport services (% of service imports, BoP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Transport services covers the process of carriage of people and objects from one location to another as well as related supporting and auxiliary services. Also included are postal and courier services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service imports which are services provided by non-residents to residents.