Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate was 7.73 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
7.73 % change on previous year
Change on year
up 453.8%
Rank
18th
of 45 groups
All-time high
59.03 % change on previous year
in 1980
All-time low
-16.82 % change on previous year
in 1982
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 7.73 % change on previous year for merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 453.8% on the previous year and up 157.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 59.03 % change on previous year in 1980 and was at its lowest, -16.82 % change on previous year, in 1982.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 18th out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.1 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | -2.36 % change on previous year | -314.3% |
| 1963 | 8.58 % change on previous year | -463.2% |
| 1964 | 17.8 % change on previous year | +107.4% |
| 1965 | 10.99 % change on previous year | -38.3% |
| 1966 | -1.72 % change on previous year | -115.6% |
| 1967 | 6.73 % change on previous year | -491.5% |
| 1968 | 3.49 % change on previous year | -48.1% |
| 1969 | 9.67 % change on previous year | +177.1% |
| 1970 | 19.43 % change on previous year | +101.1% |
| 1971 | 16.94 % change on previous year | -12.8% |
| 1972 | -1.69 % change on previous year | -110.0% |
| 1973 | 28.2 % change on previous year | -1770.7% |
| 1974 | 43.57 % change on previous year | +54.5% |
| 1975 | 21.98 % change on previous year | -49.5% |
| 1976 | 2.92 % change on previous year | -86.7% |
| 1977 | 16.49 % change on previous year | +464.0% |
| 1978 | 19.3 % change on previous year | +17.1% |
| 1979 | 2.12 % change on previous year | -89.0% |
| 1980 | 59.03 % change on previous year | +2689.0% |
| 1981 | 10.31 % change on previous year | -82.5% |
| 1982 | -16.82 % change on previous year | -263.1% |
| 1983 | -14.39 % change on previous year | -14.4% |
| 1984 | -8.77 % change on previous year | -39.0% |
| 1985 | -9.73 % change on previous year | +10.9% |
| 1986 | -2.19 % change on previous year | -77.5% |
| 1987 | 12.6 % change on previous year | -674.7% |
| 1988 | 11.93 % change on previous year | -5.3% |
| 1989 | 1.57 % change on previous year | -86.8% |
| 1990 | 6.64 % change on previous year | +322.0% |
| 1991 | 3.09 % change on previous year | -53.5% |
| 1992 | 4.61 % change on previous year | +49.5% |
| 1993 | -2.32 % change on previous year | -150.3% |
| 1994 | 5.03 % change on previous year | -317.1% |
| 1995 | 22.62 % change on previous year | +349.5% |
| 1996 | 1.87 % change on previous year | -91.8% |
| 1997 | 8.4 % change on previous year | +350.0% |
| 1998 | -4.28 % change on previous year | -151.0% |
| 1999 | -3.73 % change on previous year | -12.9% |
| 2000 | 2.37 % change on previous year | -163.6% |
| 2001 | 5.28 % change on previous year | +122.7% |
| 2002 | -1.31 % change on previous year | -124.8% |
| 2003 | 29.6 % change on previous year | -2358.2% |
| 2004 | 27.84 % change on previous year | -5.9% |
| 2005 | 23.09 % change on previous year | -17.1% |
| 2006 | 20.33 % change on previous year | -12.0% |
| 2007 | 21.71 % change on previous year | +6.8% |
| 2008 | 24.62 % change on previous year | +13.4% |
| 2009 | -15.74 % change on previous year | -163.9% |
| 2010 | 17.81 % change on previous year | -213.2% |
| 2011 | 24.07 % change on previous year | +35.2% |
| 2012 | 5.79 % change on previous year | -75.9% |
| 2013 | 4.78 % change on previous year | -17.5% |
| 2014 | 1.62 % change on previous year | -66.1% |
| 2015 | -13.57 % change on previous year | -936.4% |
| 2016 | -12.79 % change on previous year | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 2.15 % change on previous year | -116.8% |
| 2018 | 12.73 % change on previous year | +493.1% |
| 2019 | 0.2019 % change on previous year | -98.4% |
| 2020 | -16.65 % change on previous year | -8344.5% |
| 2021 | 26.8 % change on previous year | -261.0% |
| 2022 | 19.97 % change on previous year | -25.5% |
| 2023 | -2.34 % change on previous year | -111.7% |
| 2024 | -2.18 % change on previous year | -6.6% |
| 2025 | 7.73 % change on previous year | -453.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.03 % change on previous year | -2.36 % change on previous year | 17.8 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 16.93 % change on previous year | -1.69 % change on previous year | 43.57 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.35 % change on previous year | -16.82 % change on previous year | 59.03 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.19 % change on previous year | -4.28 % change on previous year | 22.62 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.78 % change on previous year | -15.74 % change on previous year | 29.6 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.28 % change on previous year | -13.57 % change on previous year | 24.07 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.56 % change on previous year | -16.65 % change on previous year | 26.8 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 15 North Korea 22.61 % change on previous year compare
- 16 Syria 22.48 % change on previous year compare
- 17 Moldova 20.49 % change on previous year compare
- 18 Sao Tome and Principe 19.61 % change on previous year compare
- 19 Laos 19.38 % change on previous year compare
- 20 Vietnam 19.25 % change on previous year compare
- 21 Tajikistan 18.5 % change on previous year compare
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$), annual growth rate 11.24 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa was 7.73 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 59.03 % change on previous year in 1980.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -16.82 % change on previous year in 1982.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 18th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 157.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Merchandise imports (current US$). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Merchandise imports World Trade Organization (WTO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Merchandise imports (current US$). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.