Commercial service imports (current US$) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Commercial service imports (current US$) was 147.11 billion current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Commercial service imports in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1978–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 147.11 billion current US$ for commercial service imports in 2025. That is the highest value across all 48 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.9% on the previous year and up 36.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, commercial service imports in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 147.11 billion current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 11.49 billion current US$, in 1978.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 31st of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Commercial service imports (current US$) in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 11.49 billion current US$ | — |
| 1979 | 13.09 billion current US$ | +13.9% |
| 1980 | 18.17 billion current US$ | +38.8% |
| 1981 | 18.32 billion current US$ | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 15.66 billion current US$ | -14.5% |
| 1983 | 14.07 billion current US$ | -10.2% |
| 1984 | 12.30 billion current US$ | -12.5% |
| 1985 | 12.37 billion current US$ | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 12.15 billion current US$ | -1.7% |
| 1987 | 12.95 billion current US$ | +6.6% |
| 1988 | 14.22 billion current US$ | +9.8% |
| 1989 | 15.42 billion current US$ | +8.5% |
| 1990 | 17.96 billion current US$ | +16.4% |
| 1991 | 19.25 billion current US$ | +7.2% |
| 1992 | 19.49 billion current US$ | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 20.66 billion current US$ | +6.0% |
| 1994 | 21.18 billion current US$ | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 21.72 billion current US$ | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 22.82 billion current US$ | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 23.27 billion current US$ | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 23.89 billion current US$ | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 25.58 billion current US$ | +7.1% |
| 2000 | 25.29 billion current US$ | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 27.34 billion current US$ | +8.1% |
| 2002 | 28.03 billion current US$ | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 33.23 billion current US$ | +18.6% |
| 2004 | 40.70 billion current US$ | +22.5% |
| 2005 | 48.16 billion current US$ | +18.3% |
| 2006 | 60.88 billion current US$ | +26.4% |
| 2007 | 78.17 billion current US$ | +28.4% |
| 2008 | 101.16 billion current US$ | +29.4% |
| 2009 | 88.59 billion current US$ | -12.4% |
| 2010 | 99.62 billion current US$ | +12.4% |
| 2011 | 117.99 billion current US$ | +18.4% |
| 2012 | 116.64 billion current US$ | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 116.69 billion current US$ | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 125.20 billion current US$ | +7.3% |
| 2015 | 108.19 billion current US$ | -13.6% |
| 2016 | 93.10 billion current US$ | -13.9% |
| 2017 | 105.76 billion current US$ | +13.6% |
| 2018 | 123.64 billion current US$ | +16.9% |
| 2019 | 130.43 billion current US$ | +5.5% |
| 2020 | 98.40 billion current US$ | -24.6% |
| 2021 | 107.10 billion current US$ | +8.8% |
| 2022 | 128.85 billion current US$ | +20.3% |
| 2023 | 131.64 billion current US$ | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 133.87 billion current US$ | +1.7% |
| 2025 | 147.11 billion current US$ | +9.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 12.29 billion current US$ | 11.49 billion current US$ | 13.09 billion current US$ | 2 |
| 1980s | 14.56 billion current US$ | 12.15 billion current US$ | 18.32 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.58 billion current US$ | 17.96 billion current US$ | 25.58 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.16 billion current US$ | 25.29 billion current US$ | 101.16 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 113.72 billion current US$ | 93.10 billion current US$ | 130.43 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 124.49 billion current US$ | 98.40 billion current US$ | 147.11 billion current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 28 Thailand 77.15 billion current US$ compare
- 29 Norway 74.40 billion current US$ compare
- 30 Malaysia 63.47 billion current US$ compare
- 31 Indonesia 62.67 billion current US$ compare
- 32 Turkey 58.00 billion current US$ compare
- 33 Israel 56.17 billion current US$ compare
- 34 Finland 49.89 billion current US$ compare
More private sector data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Merchandise trade 44.5% (2025)
- Food imports 12.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.9% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 501.15 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 14.6% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 19.5% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 486.80 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 88.65 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 368.33 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2201 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is commercial service imports in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Commercial service imports in Sub-Saharan Africa was 147.11 billion current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest commercial service imports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 147.11 billion current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest commercial service imports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.49 billion current US$ in 1978.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for commercial service imports?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 31st out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is commercial service imports rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Commercial service imports (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 48 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Commercial service imports are total service imports minus imports of government services not included elsewhere. Imports of services are services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.