Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita was 379.19 current US$ per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$ per person.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 379.19 current US$ per person for merchandise imports (current us$), per capita in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.1% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports (current us$), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 447.62 current US$ per person in 2013 and was at its lowest, 23.31 current US$ per person, in 1962.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 35th out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 24.79 current US$ per person | — |
| 1961 | 24.47 current US$ per person | -1.3% |
| 1962 | 23.31 current US$ per person | -4.7% |
| 1963 | 24.69 current US$ per person | +5.9% |
| 1964 | 28.36 current US$ per person | +14.9% |
| 1965 | 30.68 current US$ per person | +8.2% |
| 1966 | 29.39 current US$ per person | -4.2% |
| 1967 | 30.57 current US$ per person | +4.0% |
| 1968 | 30.81 current US$ per person | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 32.9 current US$ per person | +6.8% |
| 1970 | 38.26 current US$ per person | +16.3% |
| 1971 | 43.55 current US$ per person | +13.8% |
| 1972 | 41.68 current US$ per person | -4.3% |
| 1973 | 51.98 current US$ per person | +24.7% |
| 1974 | 72.56 current US$ per person | +39.6% |
| 1975 | 86.04 current US$ per person | +18.6% |
| 1976 | 86.1 current US$ per person | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 97.54 current US$ per person | +13.3% |
| 1978 | 113.02 current US$ per person | +15.9% |
| 1979 | 111.99 current US$ per person | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 172.96 current US$ per person | +54.4% |
| 1981 | 185.17 current US$ per person | +7.1% |
| 1982 | 149.35 current US$ per person | -19.3% |
| 1983 | 124.12 current US$ per person | -16.9% |
| 1984 | 110.03 current US$ per person | -11.3% |
| 1985 | 96.49 current US$ per person | -12.3% |
| 1986 | 91.69 current US$ per person | -5.0% |
| 1987 | 100.29 current US$ per person | +9.4% |
| 1988 | 109.11 current US$ per person | +8.8% |
| 1989 | 107.76 current US$ per person | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 111.76 current US$ per person | +3.7% |
| 1991 | 112.14 current US$ per person | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 114.18 current US$ per person | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 108.52 current US$ per person | -5.0% |
| 1994 | 110.99 current US$ per person | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 132.54 current US$ per person | +19.4% |
| 1996 | 131.45 current US$ per person | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 138.79 current US$ per person | +5.6% |
| 1998 | 129.37 current US$ per person | -6.8% |
| 1999 | 121.27 current US$ per person | -6.3% |
| 2000 | 120.89 current US$ per person | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 123.91 current US$ per person | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 119.04 current US$ per person | -3.9% |
| 2003 | 150.18 current US$ per person | +26.2% |
| 2004 | 186.85 current US$ per person | +24.4% |
| 2005 | 223.8 current US$ per person | +19.8% |
| 2006 | 262.02 current US$ per person | +17.1% |
| 2007 | 310.27 current US$ per person | +18.4% |
| 2008 | 376.1 current US$ per person | +21.2% |
| 2009 | 308.28 current US$ per person | -18.0% |
| 2010 | 353.3 current US$ per person | +14.6% |
| 2011 | 426.49 current US$ per person | +20.7% |
| 2012 | 439.06 current US$ per person | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 447.62 current US$ per person | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 442.72 current US$ per person | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 372.48 current US$ per person | -15.9% |
| 2016 | 316.35 current US$ per person | -15.1% |
| 2017 | 314.75 current US$ per person | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 345.55 current US$ per person | +9.8% |
| 2019 | 337.34 current US$ per person | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 274.04 current US$ per person | -18.8% |
| 2021 | 338.81 current US$ per person | +23.6% |
| 2022 | 396.5 current US$ per person | +17.0% |
| 2023 | 377.81 current US$ per person | -4.7% |
| 2024 | 360.63 current US$ per person | -4.5% |
| 2025 | 379.19 current US$ per person | +5.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 28 current US$ per person | 23.31 current US$ per person | 32.9 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 74.27 current US$ per person | 38.26 current US$ per person | 113.02 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 124.7 current US$ per person | 91.69 current US$ per person | 185.17 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 121.1 current US$ per person | 108.52 current US$ per person | 138.79 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 218.13 current US$ per person | 119.04 current US$ per person | 376.1 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 379.57 current US$ per person | 314.75 current US$ per person | 447.62 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 354.5 current US$ per person | 274.04 current US$ per person | 396.5 current US$ per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 32 Aruba 14,745 current US$ per person compare
- 33 American Samoa 14,730 current US$ per person compare
- 34 Latvia 14,225 current US$ per person compare
- 35 Canada 13,864 current US$ per person compare
- 36 Bahamas 13,696 current US$ per person compare
- 37 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 13,652 current US$ per person compare
- 38 Croatia 13,057 current US$ per person 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$), annual growth rate 11.24 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports (current us$), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Merchandise imports (current us$), per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa was 379.19 current US$ per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest merchandise imports (current us$), per capita recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 447.62 current US$ per person in 2013.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports (current us$), per capita recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.31 current US$ per person in 1962.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for merchandise imports (current us$), per capita?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 35th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is merchandise imports (current us$), per capita rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. 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$), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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How this figure is calculated
Merchandise imports (current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Merchandise imports (current US$) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Merchandise imports World Trade Organization (WTO)
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Merchandise imports (current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.