New business density in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: New business density was 1.44 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2022. ▲ Rising
New business density in Africa Western and Central, 2006–2022
Source: Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB). Measured in new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64.
Analysis
The most recent figure for new business density in Africa Western and Central is 1.44 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 19.1% on the previous year and up 125.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, new business density in Africa Western and Central peaked at 1.44 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.3576 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64, in 2006.
Africa Western and Central ranks 30th of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.
New business density in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 0.3576 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | — |
| 2007 | 0.4769 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +33.3% |
| 2008 | 0.6214 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +30.3% |
| 2009 | 0.5914 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -4.8% |
| 2010 | 0.5732 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 0.6074 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +6.0% |
| 2012 | 0.6386 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +5.1% |
| 2013 | 0.6235 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 0.6441 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 0.6827 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +6.0% |
| 2016 | 0.7756 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +13.6% |
| 2017 | 0.8369 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +7.9% |
| 2018 | 0.9407 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +12.4% |
| 2019 | 0.9811 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +4.3% |
| 2020 | 0.9961 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 1.21 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +21.5% |
| 2022 | 1.44 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +19.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.5118 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 0.3576 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 0.6214 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 4 |
| 2010s | 0.7304 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 0.5732 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 0.9811 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.22 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 0.9961 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 1.44 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 27 Kosovo 8.35 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 27 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 8.35 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 29 Norway 8.32 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 30 Côte d'Ivoire 8.28 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 31 Mongolia 8.26 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 32 Barbados 8.11 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 33 Georgia 7.62 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
More private sector data for Africa Western and Central
- Merchandise trade 43.1% (2025)
- Food imports 15.3% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 54.3% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 163.34 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 12.1% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 7.0% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 204.10 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 383.07 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2394 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 20.81 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is new business density in Africa Western and Central?
- New business density in Africa Western and Central was 1.44 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2022, according to Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest new business density recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 1.44 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2022.
- What is the lowest new business density recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3576 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2006.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for new business density?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 30th out of 45 groups with data for 2022.
- Is new business density rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 125.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB), published as part of New business density (new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The number of newly registered firms with limited liability per 1,000 working-age people (ages 15-64) per calendar year.