New businesses registered in South Africa
South Africa: New businesses registered was 494,475 number in 2024. ▲ Rising
New businesses registered in South Africa, 2006–2024
Source: Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB). Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2024, new businesses registered in South Africa stood at 494,475 number. That is the highest value across all 19 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 19.8% on the previous year and up 95.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, new businesses registered in South Africa peaked at 494,475 number in 2024 and was at its lowest, 178,811 number, in 2011.
That places South Africa 3rd out of 176 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.
New businesses registered in South Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 272,275 number | — |
| 2007 | 295,746 number | +8.6% |
| 2008 | 299,314 number | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 263,804 number | -11.9% |
| 2010 | 210,741 number | -20.1% |
| 2011 | 178,811 number | -15.2% |
| 2012 | 243,917 number | +36.4% |
| 2013 | 253,801 number | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 252,827 number | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 357,851 number | +41.5% |
| 2016 | 375,547 number | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 397,940 number | +6.0% |
| 2018 | 401,054 number | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 417,453 number | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 490,487 number | +17.5% |
| 2021 | 472,324 number | -3.7% |
| 2022 | 434,024 number | -8.1% |
| 2023 | 412,780 number | -4.9% |
| 2024 | 494,475 number | +19.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 282,785 number | 263,804 number | 299,314 number | 4 |
| 2010s | 308,994 number | 178,811 number | 417,453 number | 10 |
| 2020s | 460,818 number | 412,780 number | 494,475 number | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More private sector data for South Africa
- Merchandise trade 57.2% (2025)
- Food imports 7.2% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 62.1% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 128.08 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 12.8% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 38.3% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 116.40 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,798 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2725 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 5.74 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is new businesses registered in South Africa?
- New businesses registered in South Africa was 494,475 number in 2024, according to Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest new businesses registered recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 494,475 number in 2024.
- What is the lowest new businesses registered recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 178,811 number in 2011.
- How does South Africa rank for new businesses registered?
- South Africa ranks 3rd out of 176 countries with data for 2024.
- Is new businesses registered rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 95.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB), published as part of New businesses registered (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
New businesses registered are the number of new limited liability corporations (or its equivalent) registered in the calendar year.