Foreign Direct Investment in South Africa decreased by 73452 ZAR Million in the second quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - South Africa Foreign Direct Investment- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Key information about South Africa Foreign Direct Investment

• South Africa Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) fell by 4.0 USD bn in Jun 2025, compared with an increase of 634.3 USD mn in the previous quarter.
• South Africa Foreign Direct Investment: USD mn net flows data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1985 to Jun 2025.
• The data reached an all-time high of 38.4 USD bn in Sep 2021 and a record low of -4.0 USD bn in Jun 2025.

CEIC converts quarterly Foreign Direct Investment into USD. South African Reserve Bank provides Foreign Direct Investment in local currency. Federal Reserve Board average market exchange rate is used for currency conversions.


Related information about South Africa Foreign Direct Investment

• In the latest reports of South Africa, Current Account recorded a deficit of 1.1 USD bn in Jun 2025.
• South Africa Direct Investment Abroad fell by 1.3 USD bn in Jun 2025.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 3.8 USD bn in Jun 2025.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 103.1 USD bn in Jun 2025.

Key information about South Africa Foreign Direct Investment: % of GDP

• South Africa Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) registered a fall equal to 3.9 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Jun 2025, compared with a growth equal to 0.7 % in the previous quarter.
• South Africa Foreign Direct Investment: % of Nominal GDP data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1985 to Jun 2025.
• The data reached an all-time high of 36.1 % in Sep 2021 and a record low -3.9 % in Jun 2025.

CEIC calculates Foreign Direct Investment as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Foreign Direct Investment and quarterly Nominal GDP. South African Reserve Bank provides Foreign Direct Investment in local currency. Statistics South Africa provides Nominal GDP in local currency.


Related information about South Africa Foreign Direct Investment: % of GDP

• In the latest reports of South Africa, Current Account recorded a deficit of 1.1 USD bn in Jun 2025.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) fell by 4.0 USD bn in Jun 2025.
• South Africa Direct Investment Abroad fell by 1.3 USD bn in Jun 2025.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 3.8 USD bn in Jun 2025.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 103.1 USD bn in Jun 2025.

Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in South Africa was reported at 0.58218 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Africa - Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Financial Account: Liabilities: Direct Foreign Investment in Reporting Country for South Africa (DISCONTINUED) (BPFADI03ZAA637N) from 1985 to 2011 about FDI, financial account, South Africa, foreign, BOP, liabilities, investment, and financial.

In 2024, the total stock of FDI from China in South Africa amounted to about **** billion U.S. dollars. This was an increase from **** billion U.S. dollars in the previous year.

As of 2023, Foreign direct investments (FDI) inflows amounted to **** billion U.S. dollars. Foreign direct investment inflows in Africa decreased slightly from 2022 to 2023. According to the source, the drop was due to a drop in FDI to the two biggest FDI receiving countries on the continent, Egypt and South Africa.

Monthly and long-term South Africa Foreign Direct Investment data: historical series and analyst forecasts curated by FocusEconomics.

European Union (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Flow: Outward: EU 27E: Africa: South Africa data was reported at -33,434.600 EUR mn in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3,343.200 EUR mn for 2022. European Union (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Flow: Outward: EU 27E: Africa: South Africa data is updated yearly, averaging 1,178.200 EUR mn from Dec 2013 (Median) to 2023, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 31,573.200 EUR mn in 2021 and a record low of -33,434.600 EUR mn in 2023. European Union (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Flow: Outward: EU 27E: Africa: South Africa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s European Union – Table EU.O001: Eurostat: Foreign Direct Investment: Outward: By Country: BPM6.

South Africa: Foreign Direct Investment, billion USD: The latest value from 2024 is 2.33 billion U.S. dollars, a decline from 3.86 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 7.99 billion U.S. dollars, based on data from 183 countries. Historically, the average for South Africa from 1970 to 2024 is 2.8 billion U.S. dollars. The minimum value, -0.48 billion U.S. dollars, was reached in 1979 while the maximum of 40.66 billion U.S. dollars was recorded in 2021.

Actual value and historical data chart for South Africa Foreign Direct Investment Net Inflows Bop Us Dollar

This statistic shows the number of new Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects that have been initiated in different countries throughout Africa since 2003. As of *****************, the most new FDI projects in Africa had been started in South Africa at a total of ***.

As of 2023, the stock of Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) on the African continent was at its highest in South Africa, at over *** billion U.S. dollars. The Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigera followed with a total stock of roughly *** billion U.S. dollars and *** billion U.S. dollars, respectively. That same year, China's FDI capital stock in Africa reached approximately ** billion U.S. dollars.

As of the end of 2024, the Japanese foreign direct investment (FDI) stock in South Africa stood at ***** billion Japanese yen. This represented an increase from ***** billion yen in the previous year.

Historical dataset showing South Africa foreign direct investment by year from 1970 to 2023.

Russia (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: BoP Data: Outward: Non CIS: South Africa data was reported at 0.269 USD mn in Sep 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of -0.113 USD mn for Jun 2018. Russia (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: BoP Data: Outward: Non CIS: South Africa data is updated quarterly, averaging 0.161 USD mn from Mar 2008 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 43 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20.110 USD mn in Jun 2009 and a record low of -11.190 USD mn in Jun 2014. Russia (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: BoP Data: Outward: Non CIS: South Africa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by The Central Bank of the Russian Federation. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Balance of Payments – Table RU.JBB009: Outward Foreign Direct Investments: by Country.

Key information about South Africa Foreign Portfolio Investment

• South Africa Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 3.796 USD bn in Jun 2025, compared with a drop of 2.903 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• South Africa Foreign Portfolio Investment: USD mn data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1985 to Jun 2025.
• The data reached an all-time high of 8.648 USD bn in Mar 2006 and a record low of -24.750 USD bn in Sep 2021.

CEIC converts quarterly Foreign Portfolio Investment into USD. The South African Reserve Bank provides Foreign Portfolio Investment in local currency. Federal Reserve Board average market exchange rate is used for currency conversions.


Related information about South Africa Foreign Portfolio Investment

• In the latest reports of South Africa, Current Account recorded a deficit of 1.132 USD bn in Jun 2025.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) fell by 4.017 USD bn in Jun 2025.
• South Africa Direct Investment Abroad fell by 1.297 USD bn in Jun 2025.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 103.116 USD bn in Jun 2025.

India Foreign Direct Investment: Inflow: South Africa data was reported at 907.190 INR mn in 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 984.170 INR mn for 2017. India Foreign Direct Investment: Inflow: South Africa data is updated yearly, averaging 312.770 INR mn from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2018, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8,487.970 INR mn in 2016 and a record low of 0.000 INR mn in 2001. India Foreign Direct Investment: Inflow: South Africa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.OA022: Foreign Direct Investment: Inflow: Annual: by Country.

After a peak in 2014, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa from the United States dropped to 44.81 billion U.S. dollars in 2020, but picked up again throughout the following years, reaching 56.29 in 2023. Africa receives lower FDI inflows than any other region. What is FDI? FDI is when investors from one country, in this case the United States, invest in firms that are based abroad. Often investors do this to earn higher returns due to a risk premium. They will seek markets where default risk is higher. If their investments mature, the returns are higher than they would be in a place with less risk. Effects of FDI The United States has higher FDI outflows than any other country, in large part because its economy is so large. In addition to seeking higher returns, some investors are interested in cultivating international relationships. This could be an effort to expand the consumer base, shore up supply chains, or for humanitarian or cultural reasons. For the receiving country, FDI means an increase in capital. For emerging markets, this can be critical. When the number of banks per country is low, capital access becomes difficult.

South Africa Foreign Investment: Agriculture, Forestry, Hunting & Fishing data was reported at 4,105.000 ZAR mn in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,726.000 ZAR mn for 2015. South Africa Foreign Investment: Agriculture, Forestry, Hunting & Fishing data is updated yearly, averaging 3,439.000 ZAR mn from Dec 2013 (Median) to 2016, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,105.000 ZAR mn in 2016 and a record low of 2,803.000 ZAR mn in 2013. South Africa Foreign Investment: Agriculture, Forestry, Hunting & Fishing data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by South African Reserve Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.O002: BPM6: Foreign Investment: by Industry.