Area · SSA
Sub-Saharan Africa
Period
Sub-Saharan Africa: GDP of 2,175 bn$ in 2025 (IMF), +15.2 % since 2020 in current dollars. Growth in 2025: +4.5 %.
Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook (October 2026) · copied on 2026-11-11
- GDP, current dollars
- 2,175 bn$
- 2025 · +15.2 % since 2020
- GDP per capita
- 1,810 $
- 2025 · +2.0 % since 2020
- Inflation
- 12.6 %
- 2025 · +0.3 pt since 2020
- Public debt
- 56.8 %
- 2025 · +5.4 pt since 2020
GDP, current dollars
Billions of current dollars · dashed: estimates and projections
The five regions
GDP in current dollars, 2020 → 2025
- 1 Central Africa +62.7 %
- 2 Southern Africa +41.6 %
- 3 East Africa +33.5 %
- 4 North Africa +23.6 %
- 5 West Africa −17.0 %
All indicators
Value in 2025 and change since 2020
| Indicator | 2020 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real GDP growth | −3.1 % | +4.5 % | +7.6 pt |
| GDP, current dollars | 1,889 bn$ | 2,175 bn$ | +15.2 % |
| GDP per capita | 1,774 $ | 1,810 $ | +2.0 % |
| GDP per capita, PPP | 4,660 $ | 6,258 $ | +34.3 % |
| Inflation | 12.3 % | 12.6 % | +0.3 pt |
| Public debt | 51.4 % | 56.8 % | +5.4 pt |
| Population | 1,063.9 M | 1,201.7 M | +13.0 % |
| Fiscal balance | −5.8 % | −3.6 % | +2.2 pt |
| Current account | −2.3 % | −0.8 % | +1.5 pt |
| Unemployment | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Public finances and external accounts
A fiscal deficit of 3.6 % of GDP
Sub-Saharan Africa: in 2025, the general government spent 3.6 % of GDP more than it collected, public debt stood at 56.8 % of GDP, the current account showed a deficit of 0.8 % (IMF).
- Fiscal balance · 2025
- −3.6 %
- of GDP · +2.2 pt since 2020
- Public debt · 2025
- 56.8 %
- of GDP · +5.4 pt since 2020
- Current account · 2025
- −0.8 %
- of GDP · +1.5 pt since 2020
Fiscal balance, % of GDP
Negative: a deficit · dashed: estimates and projections
- Sub-Saharan Africa
Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook (October 2026) · general government net lending or borrowing · group values weighted by GDP in dollars (Syli Atlas)
Current account, % of GDP
Trade, income and transfers with the rest of the world
Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Questions
How much has the economy of Sub-Saharan Africa grown since 2020?
Sub-Saharan Africa: GDP of 2,175 bn$ in 2025 (IMF), +15.2 % since 2020 in current dollars. Growth in 2025: +4.5 %.
What is the GDP per capita of Sub-Saharan Africa?
1,810 $ in 2025 at market exchange rates, 6,258 $ in purchasing power parity (IMF).
What is the inflation rate in Sub-Saharan Africa?
12.6 % in 2025, average annual change in consumer prices (IMF).
What is the public debt of Sub-Saharan Africa?
56.8 % of GDP in 2025, gross debt of the general government (IMF).
Discussion
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Open the discussion →Cite this page
Syli Atlas, « Sub-Saharan Africa », https://dev.syliatlas.com/en/regions/sub-saharan-africa. Data: IMF, World Economic Outlook (October 2026).