Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in was 20.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise exports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Sub-Saharan Africa is 20.7%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.2% on the previous year and down 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 27.1% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 3.3%, in 1960.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 3rd of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.3% | — |
| 1961 | 3.9% | +20.0% |
| 1962 | 5.3% | +33.8% |
| 1963 | 5.9% | +11.0% |
| 1964 | 9.0% | +53.2% |
| 1965 | 10.8% | +20.4% |
| 1966 | 7.8% | -27.6% |
| 1967 | 6.2% | -21.3% |
| 1968 | 8.1% | +32.2% |
| 1969 | 9.3% | +13.6% |
| 1970 | 9.3% | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 8.8% | -5.4% |
| 1972 | 10.6% | +20.2% |
| 1973 | 10.4% | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 8.2% | -21.7% |
| 1975 | 6.7% | -18.3% |
| 1976 | 5.3% | -20.3% |
| 1977 | 5.4% | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 5.6% | +3.3% |
| 1979 | 4.8% | -14.0% |
| 1980 | 9.1% | +89.0% |
| 1981 | 7.6% | -16.4% |
| 1982 | 7.3% | -3.6% |
| 1983 | 7.4% | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 7.4% | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 6.4% | -13.6% |
| 1986 | 8.4% | +31.0% |
| 1987 | 8.8% | +4.8% |
| 1988 | 9.0% | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 9.3% | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 9.7% | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 10.1% | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 10.1% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 10.6% | +4.6% |
| 1994 | 11.4% | +7.8% |
| 1995 | 11.7% | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 11.4% | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 11.1% | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | +29.6% |
| 1999 | 14.1% | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 14.6% | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 14.1% | -3.4% |
| 2002 | 15.9% | +12.9% |
| 2003 | 18.8% | +18.6% |
| 2004 | 20.3% | +7.6% |
| 2005 | 19.2% | -5.1% |
| 2006 | 18.5% | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 19.0% | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 18.5% | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 21.4% | +15.3% |
| 2010 | 22.7% | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 23.3% | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 23.6% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 24.2% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 24.8% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 27.1% | +9.6% |
| 2016 | 26.2% | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 23.5% | -10.4% |
| 2018 | 23.0% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 23.3% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 22.7% | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 21.0% | -7.5% |
| 2022 | 21.8% | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 20.7% | -5.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Sub-Saharan Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +89.0% | 4.8% | 9.1% |
| 1964 | +53.2% | 5.9% | 9.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.0% | 3.3% | 10.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.5% | 4.8% | 10.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.1% | 6.4% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.4% | 9.7% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.0% | 14.1% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.2% | 22.7% | 27.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.5% | 20.7% | 22.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More private sector data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Merchandise trade 44.5% (2025)
- Food imports 12.1% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.8% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 501.15 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 14.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 19.4% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 486.80 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)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 11.24 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Sub-Saharan Africa was 20.7% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 27.1% in 2015.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.3% in 1960.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 3rd out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in Sub-Saharan Africa (% of total merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in Sub-Saharan Africa are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to low- and middle-income economies in the Sub-Saharan Africa region according to World Bank classification of economies. Data are as a percentage of total merchandise exports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.