Computer, communications and other services in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Computer, communications and other services was 21.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Computer, communications and other services in Africa Western and Central, 1977–2024
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service exports.
Analysis
In 2024, computer, communications and other services in Africa Western and Central stood at 21.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.2% on the previous year and down 26.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, computer, communications and other services in Africa Western and Central peaked at 69.3% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 12.9%, in 1986.
That places Africa Western and Central 43rd out of 45 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 48 years of available data.
Computer, communications and other services in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 31.1% | — |
| 1978 | 27.4% | -12.0% |
| 1979 | 22.8% | -16.7% |
| 1980 | 20.7% | -9.2% |
| 1981 | 26.6% | +28.6% |
| 1982 | 20.5% | -23.0% |
| 1983 | 15.4% | -24.7% |
| 1984 | 24.0% | +55.6% |
| 1985 | 14.6% | -39.1% |
| 1986 | 12.9% | -12.1% |
| 1987 | 40.2% | +213.0% |
| 1988 | 40.8% | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 69.3% | +69.7% |
| 1990 | 66.6% | -3.8% |
| 1991 | 60.3% | -9.5% |
| 1992 | 61.0% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 59.2% | -2.9% |
| 1994 | 60.6% | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 57.6% | -5.0% |
| 1996 | 63.1% | +9.6% |
| 1997 | 58.9% | -6.8% |
| 1998 | 61.5% | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 61.7% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 61.5% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 59.6% | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 61.2% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 61.7% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 58.6% | -5.0% |
| 2005 | 19.2% | -67.3% |
| 2006 | 17.8% | -7.1% |
| 2007 | 19.9% | +11.8% |
| 2008 | 21.5% | +7.6% |
| 2009 | 20.9% | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 24.1% | +15.2% |
| 2011 | 28.3% | +17.6% |
| 2012 | 28.2% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 32.6% | +15.4% |
| 2014 | 28.8% | -11.5% |
| 2015 | 33.2% | +15.2% |
| 2016 | 22.2% | -33.1% |
| 2017 | 23.9% | +7.5% |
| 2018 | 24.0% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 26.5% | +10.4% |
| 2020 | 29.0% | +9.5% |
| 2021 | 24.5% | -15.8% |
| 2022 | 21.8% | -10.8% |
| 2023 | 22.0% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 21.0% | -4.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Computer, communications and other services in Africa Western and Central 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +213.0% | 12.9% | 40.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 27.1% | 22.8% | 31.1% | 3 |
| 1980s | 28.5% | 12.9% | 69.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 61.0% | 57.6% | 66.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.2% | 17.8% | 61.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.2% | 22.2% | 33.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.7% | 21.0% | 29.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 40 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 55.9% compare
- 41 Korea 55.9% compare
- 42 Switzerland 55.6% compare
- 43 Myanmar 55.5% compare
- 44 Tunisia 54.6% compare
- 45 Slovakia 54.5% compare
- 46 United States of America 53.5% compare
More private sector data for Africa Western and Central
- Merchandise trade 43.1% (2025)
- Food imports 15.3% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 54.3% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 163.34 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 12.1% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 7.0% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 204.10 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 383.07 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2394 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 20.81 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is computer, communications and other services in Africa Western and Central?
- Computer, communications and other services in Africa Western and Central was 21.0% in 2024, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest computer, communications and other services recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 69.3% in 1989.
- What is the lowest computer, communications and other services recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.9% in 1986.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for computer, communications and other services?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 43rd out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is computer, communications and other services rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Computer, communications and other services (% of commercial service exports). 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
Computer, communications and other services include such activities as international telecommunications, and postal and courier services; computer data; news-related service transactions between residents and nonresidents; construction services; royalties and license fees; miscellaneous business, professional, and technical services; and personal, cultural, and recreational services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service exports which are commercial services provided by residents to non-residents.