Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Food imports (% of merchandise imports) was 15.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Food imports in Africa Western and Central, 1962–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 15.2% for food imports in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and down 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Africa Western and Central peaked at 22.9% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 12.7%, in 1976.
Africa Western and Central ranks 9th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 47 years of available data.
Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 18.0% | — |
| 1963 | 16.4% | -9.0% |
| 1964 | 15.6% | -5.0% |
| 1965 | 14.1% | -9.4% |
| 1966 | 15.9% | +12.8% |
| 1967 | 15.6% | -1.9% |
| 1968 | 14.9% | -4.4% |
| 1969 | 14.1% | -5.6% |
| 1970 | 15.9% | +12.6% |
| 1971 | 15.0% | -5.8% |
| 1972 | 16.2% | +8.3% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | +6.0% |
| 1974 | 17.1% | -0.8% |
| 1975 | 13.7% | -19.8% |
| 1976 | 12.7% | -7.0% |
| 1977 | 14.2% | +11.8% |
| 1978 | 16.0% | +12.6% |
| 1979 | 16.9% | +5.5% |
| 1981 | 17.1% | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 20.4% | +19.3% |
| 1996 | 17.5% | -14.2% |
| 1997 | 17.7% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 19.5% | +10.1% |
| 1999 | 22.9% | +17.7% |
| 2000 | 19.1% | -16.7% |
| 2001 | 21.1% | +10.2% |
| 2002 | 20.8% | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 18.6% | -10.8% |
| 2006 | 18.5% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 18.2% | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 14.8% | -18.6% |
| 2009 | 16.2% | +9.9% |
| 2010 | 14.0% | -13.6% |
| 2011 | 22.8% | +62.7% |
| 2012 | 19.0% | -16.9% |
| 2013 | 17.3% | -8.9% |
| 2014 | 17.2% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 16.6% | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 16.5% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 18.9% | +15.0% |
| 2018 | 16.7% | -11.7% |
| 2019 | 16.3% | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 19.8% | +21.3% |
| 2021 | 19.3% | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 16.3% | -15.5% |
| 2023 | 15.3% | -5.8% |
| 2024 | 15.2% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 15.6% | 14.1% | 18.0% | 8 |
| 1970s | 15.5% | 12.7% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.8% | 17.1% | 20.4% | 2 |
| 1990s | 19.4% | 17.5% | 22.9% | 4 |
| 2000s | 18.4% | 14.8% | 21.1% | 8 |
| 2010s | 17.5% | 14.0% | 22.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.2% | 15.2% | 19.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 6 Niger 37.9% compare
- 7 Benin 33.3% compare
- 8 Cape Verde 32.6% compare
- 9 Sierra Leone 32.3% compare
- 10 Haiti 31.9% compare
- 11 Sao Tome and Principe 31.8% compare
- 12 Equatorial Guinea 31.8% compare
More private sector data for Africa Western and Central
- Merchandise trade 43.1% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 48.7% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 163.34 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 64.22 billion current US$ (2024)
- Food exports 15.1% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 5.8% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 204.10 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 23.98 billion current US$ (2024)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Africa Western and Central?
- Food imports in Africa Western and Central was 15.2% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 22.9% in 1999.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.7% in 1976.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for food imports?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 9th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Food imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Food comprises the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 0 (food and live animals), 1 (beverages and tobacco), and 4 (animal and vegetable oils and fats) and division 22 (oil seeds, oil nuts, and oil kernels). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise imports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a non-resident and a resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.