South Africa's GDP was estimated at just over 403 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, the highest in Africa. Egypt followed, with a GDP worth around 380 billion U.S. dollars, and ranked as the second-highest on the continent. Algeria ranked third, with about 260 billion U.S. dollars. These African economies are among some of the fastest-growing economies worldwide. Dependency on oil For some African countries, the oil industry represents an enormous source of income. In Nigeria, oil generates over five percent of the country’s GDP in the third quarter of 2023. However, economies such as the Libyan, Algerian, or Angolan are even much more dependent on the oil sector. In Libya, for instance, oil rents account for over 40 percent of the GDP. Indeed, Libya is one of the economies most dependent on oil worldwide. Similarly, oil represents for some of Africa’s largest economies a substantial source of export value. The giants do not make the ranking Most of Africa’s largest economies do not appear in the leading ten African countries for GDP per capita. The GDP per capita is calculated by dividing a country’s GDP by its population. Therefore, a populated country with a low total GDP will have a low GDP per capita, while a small rich nation has a high GDP per capita. For instance, South Africa has Africa’s highest GDP, but also counts the sixth-largest population, so wealth has to be divided into its big population. The GDP per capita also indicates how a country’s wealth reaches each of its citizens. In Africa, Seychelles has the greatest GDP per capita.

As of 2023, the GDP of Africa was estimated at roughly 3.1 trillion U.S. dollars. This was the highest value since 2010 when the continent's GDP amounted to approximately 2.1 trillion U.S. dollars. The GDP value in Africa generally followed an upward trend in recent years and was estimated to exceed 4.2 trillion U.S. dollars by 2027.

Leading the charge: the three leading African economies

Among the African countries, in 2021, Nigeria had the highest GDP with approximately 442 billion U.S. dollars. South Africa and Egypt followed. These three countries have the largest economies for various reasons. The most notable factors are their population size, natural resources, and level of economic development. Furthermore, Africa was projected to have a real GDP growth rate of 3.9 percent in 2023. Libya was the economy experiencing the highest growth rate in that year.

The Sub-Saharan African economy on the rise

A global comparison showed that Sub-Saharan Africa had the smallest GDP among all world regions in 2021, amounting to 1.87 trillion U.S. dollars. A closer look revealed that Sub-Saharan Africa had a GDP per capita of 1,626.3 U.S. dollars in 2021, again the lowest worldwide. However, the region's economy was forecast to experience continued growth in the following years, with the real GDP increasing by 3.7 percent in 2023.

This dataset provides values for GDP reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Seychelles had the largest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in Africa as of 2024. The value amounted to 21,630 U.S. dollars. Mauritius followed with around 12,330 U.S. dollars, whereas Gabon registered 8,840 U.S. dollars. GDP per capita is calculated by dividing a country’s GDP by its population, meaning that some of the largest economies are not ranked within the leading ten. Impact of COVID-19 on North Africa’s GDP When looking at the GDP growth rate in Africa in 2024, Libya had the largest estimated growth in Northern Africa, a value of 7.8 percent compared to the previous year. Niger and Senegal were at the top of the list with rates of 10.4 percent and 8.3 percent, respectively. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact on the economy was severe. The growth of the North African real GDP was estimated at minus 1.1 percent in 2020. However, estimations for 2022 looked much brighter, as it was set that the region would see a GDP growth of six percent, compared to four percent in 2021.
Contribution of Tourism Various countries in Africa are dependent on tourism, contributing to the economy. In 2023, travel and tourism were estimated to contribute 182.6 billion U.S. dollars, a clear increase from 96.5 in 2020 following COVID-19. As of 2024, South Africa, Mauritius, and Egypt led tourism in the continent according to the Travel & Tourism Development Index.

In 2024, Niger's real GDP is estimated to grow by 10.4 percent compared to the previous year. During 2023, the GDP is estimated to have increased by only 1.4 percent, nevertheless a positive trend. The country's real GDP is forecast to continue growing but at a slower pace. Between 2025 and 2029, it is expected to grow annually by roughly six percent. Furthermore, the GDPs of Senegal, Libya, and Rwanda might increase by around 8.3 percent, 7.8 percent, and 6.9 percent during 2024, respectively. Niger: A dependence on agriculture A large portion of Niger's economy comes from agriculture. In 2022, agriculture accounted for almost 40 percent of the GDP. Niger is not the only country in Africa where agriculture plays a crucial role. For example, agriculture made up nearly 60 percent of Sierra Leone’s GDP in 2022. Such dependence could mean that any disruptions in the agricultural products market could have significant effects on the country's GDP. Sub-Saharan Africa's economy will be among the fastest-growing regions worldwide Three African countries have significantly larger economies, namely, Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt. As of 2022, these countries' GDP stood at nearly 477.4 billion, 475.2 billion, and 405.7 billion U.S. dollars. Furthermore, it is anticipated that Sub-Saharan Africa's GDP growth in 2026 will rank as the second-fastest growing economic region in the world after the ASEAN-5 countries, with a growth rate of approximately four percent. In contrast, economic areas such as the European Union are forecast to grow at only about 1.5 percent in the same year.

This dataset provides values for GDP PER CAPITA PPP reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in South Africa was worth 400.26 billion US dollars in 2024, according to official data from the World Bank. The GDP value of South Africa represents 0.38 percent of the world economy. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - South Africa GDP - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The size of the five original BRICS economies in 2023 - Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa - is comparable to the United States and the EU-27 put together. On a PPP (purchasing power parity) basis, China ranks as the world's largest economy. India takes up the economic parity of about **** the EU-27. The rise of these developing economies gave rise to questions on the role the United States plays in international trade and cross-border finance. FX reserve managers around the world expect to shift their holdings towards the Chinese yuan in the long term, as of 2023.

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in South Africa was last recorded at 5708.96 US dollars in 2024. The GDP per Capita in South Africa is equivalent to 45 percent of the world's average. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - South Africa GDP per capita - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The average for 2023 based on 53 countries was 27.31 million. The highest value was in Nigeria: 223.8 million and the lowest value was in the Seychelles: 0.12 million. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

East Africa's economic growth might rebound in 2021, according to estimates done in September that year. For 2020, the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the region was estimated to expand by only *** percent, weakened due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Kenya might present the strongest growth among nations in the region, at *** percent, after the country's GDP shrunk by *** percent in 2020. On the other hand, Ethiopia's economy might register a **** percent growth, against an expansion of *** percent in 2020.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in South Africa expanded 0.10 percent in the first quarter of 2025 over the previous quarter. This dataset provides - South Africa GDP Growth Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The average for 2021 based on 42 countries was 4.3 percent. The highest value was in Namibia: 10.39 percent and the lowest value was in Nigeria: 0.38 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The real gross domestic product (GDP) of Niger is estimated to have grown by **** percent in 2022, which is the highest estimated growth rate across all African countries. In comparison, Libya's economy is estimated to have contracted by *** percent.

This dataset provides values for INFLATION RATE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the BRICS countries have been considered the five foremost developing economies in the world. Originally, the term BRIC was used by economists when talking about the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, however these countries have held annual summits since 2009, and the group has expanded to include South Africa since 2010. China has the largest GDP of the BRICS country, at 16.86 trillion U.S. dollars in 2021, while the others are all below three trillion. Combined, the BRICS bloc has a GDP over 25.85 trillion U.S. dollars in 2022, which is slightly more than the United States. BRICS economic development China has consistently been the largest economy of this bloc, and its rapid growth has seen it become the second largest economy in the world, behind the U.S.. China's growth has also been much faster than the other BRICS countries; for example, when compared with the second largest BRICS economy, its GDP was less than double the size of Brazil's in 2000, but is almost six times larger than India's in 2021. Since 2000, the country with the second largest GDP has fluctuated between Brazil, Russia, and India, due to a variety of factors, although India has held this position since 2015 (when the other two experienced recession), and it's growth rate is on track to surpass China's in the coming decade. South Africa has consistently had the smallest economy of the BRICS bloc, and it has just the third largest economy in Africa; its inclusion in this group is due to the fact that it is the most advanced and stable major economy in Africa, and it holds strategic importance due to the financial potential of the continent in the coming decades. Future developments It is predicted that China's GDP will overtake that of the U.S. by the end of the 2020s, to become the largest economy in the world, while some also estimate that India will also overtake the U.S. around the middle of the century. Additionally, the BRICS group is more than just an economic or trading bloc, and its New Development Bank was established in 2014 to invest in sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy across the globe. While relations between its members were often strained or of less significance in the 20th century, their current initiatives have given them a much greater international influence. The traditional great powers represented in the Group of Seven (G7) have seen their international power wane in recent decades, while BRICS countries have seen theirs grow, especially on a regional level. Today, the original BRIC countries combine with the Group of Seven (G7), to make up 11 of the world's 12 largest economies, but it is predicted that they will move further up on this list in the coming decades.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Nigeria was worth 187.76 billion US dollars in 2024, according to official data from the World Bank. The GDP value of Nigeria represents 0.18 percent of the world economy. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Nigeria GDP - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The average for 2023 based on 40 countries was 8.3 billion U.S. dollars. The highest value was in Egypt: 59 billion U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in the Gambia: 0.04 billion U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The African data center market is experiencing robust growth, driven by the increasing adoption of cloud computing, the expansion of digital services, and substantial investments in digital infrastructure across the continent. The market is segmented by data center size (large, massive, medium, mega, small), tier type (Tier 1 & 2, Tier 3, Tier 4), absorption (utilized, non-utilized), colocation type (hyperscale, retail, wholesale), and end-user industry (BFSI, cloud, e-commerce, government, manufacturing, media & entertainment, IT, others). Key players like Africa Data Centres, Equinix, and Rack Centre are strategically positioning themselves to capitalize on this burgeoning demand. South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt currently represent the largest markets, but significant growth is anticipated in other regions like Kenya, Ethiopia, and Morocco, fueled by rising internet penetration, government initiatives promoting digital transformation, and the expansion of mobile network infrastructure. The market’s expansion is further supported by the growing need for data sovereignty and the increasing adoption of edge computing to reduce latency and improve service delivery. While challenges remain, such as limited power infrastructure in certain regions and high capital expenditure requirements, the long-term outlook for the African data center market remains exceedingly positive. The forecast period (2025-2033) projects sustained, albeit potentially fluctuating, growth, influenced by economic factors, technological advancements, and regulatory changes across various African nations. The market will likely see an increase in competition as both local and international players vie for market share. The focus on sustainability and energy efficiency in data center operations will become increasingly important, driving innovation in cooling technologies and renewable energy integration. Furthermore, the development of robust regulatory frameworks that support data privacy and security will become crucial to fostering trust and investor confidence in the burgeoning African data center ecosystem. Strategic partnerships and mergers and acquisitions are likely to shape the market landscape during the forecast period, consolidating market power and driving innovation. The demand for hyperscale data centers is expected to be a significant driver of market growth, especially in countries with a large population and growing digital economy. Recent developments include: February 2023: The company has announced plans of opening a new data center in Senegal, the facility would be in close proximity to the cable landing station having 2Africa submarine cable.December 2022: With a USD 160 million data center investment in JOHANNESBURG, Equinix, Inc., a provider of digital infrastructure, wants to expand its presence on the African continent beyond its current locations in NIGERIA, GHANA, and Côte d'Ivoire. In mid-2024, the brand-new data center is anticipated to open in South Africa; JN1, a new 4.0 MW data center, will offer more than 20,000 gross square feet of colocation space and 690+ cabinets. Also, there will be two further phases of development. The fully completed 20.0 MW retail complex will offer more than 100,000 gross square feet of colocation space and 3,450+ cabinets.November 2022: A new hyperscale data center facility with a 30 MW critical power load has begun construction at Teraco's Isando Campus in Ekurhuleni, South Africa, east of Johannesburg. The JB5 plant will use the most up-to-date, ecologically friendly cooling and water management designs, and it is expected to finish by 2024.. Notable trends are: OTHER KEY INDUSTRY TRENDS COVERED IN THE REPORT.

In 2023, services were the main economic sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, contributing almost ** percent to the GDP. Industries made up the second-leading sector, with a GDP contribution of approximately ** percent. Some ** percent of Sub-Saharan Africa's economy was, on the other hand, represented by agricultural activities.