Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region was 31.2% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region 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 outside region in Sub-Saharan Africa is 31.2%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 8.0% on the previous year and up 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 33.9% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 2.9%, in 1974.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 10th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.8% | — |
| 1961 | 6.1% | -11.0% |
| 1962 | 6.2% | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 5.2% | -15.5% |
| 1964 | 5.0% | -3.7% |
| 1965 | 4.8% | -4.6% |
| 1966 | 4.3% | -9.8% |
| 1967 | 4.6% | +5.9% |
| 1968 | 4.0% | -12.4% |
| 1969 | 4.2% | +4.3% |
| 1970 | 4.8% | +14.4% |
| 1971 | 5.8% | +21.3% |
| 1972 | 5.9% | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 5.1% | -14.3% |
| 1974 | 2.9% | -41.9% |
| 1975 | 3.9% | +32.0% |
| 1976 | 3.1% | -18.9% |
| 1977 | 3.9% | +25.2% |
| 1978 | 4.2% | +6.2% |
| 1979 | 4.1% | -2.4% |
| 1980 | 7.7% | +89.2% |
| 1981 | 6.6% | -15.0% |
| 1982 | 4.9% | -24.9% |
| 1983 | 4.5% | -8.5% |
| 1984 | 4.0% | -12.2% |
| 1985 | 5.4% | +36.4% |
| 1986 | 5.2% | -4.0% |
| 1987 | 4.4% | -15.3% |
| 1988 | 5.5% | +24.9% |
| 1989 | 4.9% | -10.4% |
| 1990 | 5.1% | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 6.4% | +26.2% |
| 1992 | 6.0% | -7.5% |
| 1993 | 8.8% | +47.6% |
| 1994 | 8.8% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 10.2% | +16.0% |
| 1996 | 11.3% | +10.8% |
| 1997 | 11.8% | +4.2% |
| 1998 | 10.4% | -11.8% |
| 1999 | 14.2% | +36.1% |
| 2000 | 27.8% | +96.3% |
| 2001 | 28.2% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 27.1% | -3.7% |
| 2003 | 24.0% | -11.4% |
| 2004 | 20.3% | -15.5% |
| 2005 | 21.6% | +6.3% |
| 2006 | 21.9% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 22.5% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 23.7% | +5.0% |
| 2009 | 24.5% | +3.8% |
| 2010 | 24.6% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 25.0% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 28.0% | +11.8% |
| 2013 | 28.8% | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 28.2% | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 26.0% | -7.8% |
| 2016 | 26.7% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 31.5% | +18.3% |
| 2018 | 33.9% | +7.6% |
| 2019 | 32.6% | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 30.4% | -6.7% |
| 2021 | 31.0% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 28.9% | -7.0% |
| 2023 | 31.2% | +8.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +96.3% | 14.2% | 27.8% |
| 1980 | +89.2% | 4.1% | 7.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.1% | 4.0% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.4% | 2.9% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.3% | 4.0% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.3% | 5.1% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.2% | 20.3% | 28.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.5% | 24.6% | 33.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.4% | 28.9% | 31.2% | 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 outside region in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Sub-Saharan Africa was 31.2% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 33.9% in 2018.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.9% in 1974.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 10th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.0%. 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 outside region (% of total merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to other low- and middle-income economies in other World Bank regions according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed 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.