Manufactures imports (% of merchandise imports) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Manufactures imports (% of merchandise imports) was 56.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Manufactures imports in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1974–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 56.9% for manufactures imports in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 2.8% on the previous year and down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, manufactures imports in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 79.6% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 56.9%, in 2024.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 38th out of 47 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Manufactures imports (% of merchandise imports) in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 76.1% | — |
| 1975 | 79.6% | +4.6% |
| 1976 | 77.9% | -2.1% |
| 1977 | 78.0% | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 78.9% | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 77.9% | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 69.3% | -10.9% |
| 1997 | 68.5% | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 70.4% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 69.0% | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 66.0% | -4.4% |
| 2001 | 65.8% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 67.7% | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 66.2% | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 66.5% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 66.0% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 65.2% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 66.9% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 65.5% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 68.8% | +5.1% |
| 2010 | 68.0% | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 62.3% | -8.4% |
| 2012 | 63.6% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 62.4% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 62.5% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 65.5% | +4.7% |
| 2016 | 65.1% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 63.0% | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 62.3% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 64.9% | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 64.7% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 61.7% | -4.6% |
| 2022 | 57.9% | -6.2% |
| 2023 | 58.6% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 56.9% | -2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 78.1% | 76.1% | 79.6% | 6 |
| 1990s | 69.3% | 68.5% | 70.4% | 4 |
| 2000s | 66.5% | 65.2% | 68.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.0% | 62.3% | 68.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.0% | 56.9% | 64.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More private sector data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Merchandise trade 44.5% (2025)
- Food imports 12.3% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 501.15 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 147.11 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 manufactures imports in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Manufactures imports in Sub-Saharan Africa was 56.9% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest manufactures imports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 79.6% in 1975.
- What is the lowest manufactures imports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.9% in 2024.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for manufactures imports?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 38th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is manufactures imports rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Manufactures imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Manufactures comprise commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 5 (chemicals), 6 (basic manufactures), 7 (machinery and transport equipment), and 8 (miscellaneous manufactured goods), excluding division 68 (non-ferrous metals). 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.