Number of female directors in South Africa
South Africa: Number of female directors was 286,897 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Number of female directors in South Africa, 2014–2022
Source: World Bank's Entrepreneurship Survey and database (https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/entrepreneurship). Downloaded on May 2, 2026.
Analysis
In 2022, number of female directors in South Africa stood at 286,897. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of up 16.8% on the previous year and up 63.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of female directors in South Africa peaked at 286,897 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 175,919, in 2014.
That places South Africa 1st out of 71 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
Number of female directors in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 175,919 | — |
| 2015 | 212,916 | +21.0% |
| 2016 | 214,343 | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 227,198 | +6.0% |
| 2018 | 224,545 | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 228,369 | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 249,116 | +9.1% |
| 2021 | 245,588 | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 286,897 | +16.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 213,882 | 175,919 | 228,369 | 6 |
| 2020s | 260,534 | 245,588 | 286,897 | 3 |
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 number of female directors in South Africa?
- Number of female directors in South Africa was 286,897 in 2022, according to World Bank's Entrepreneurship Survey and database (https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/entrepreneurship). Downloaded on May 2, 2026.
- What is the highest number of female directors recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 286,897 in 2022.
- What is the lowest number of female directors recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 175,919 in 2014.
- How does South Africa rank for number of female directors?
- South Africa ranks 1st out of 71 countries with data for 2022.
- Is number of female directors rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 63.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank's Entrepreneurship Survey and database (https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/entrepreneurship). Downloaded on May 2, 2026, published as part of Number of female directors. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of female directors is the number of female individuals who conduct the affairs of newly registered limited liability companies in the calendar year.