The statistic shows gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa from 2019 to 2023, with projections up until 2029. GDP is the total value of all goods and services produced in a country in a year. It is considered to be a very important indicator of the economic strength of a country and a positive change is an indicator of economic growth. In 2023, aggregated GDP per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa amounted to around 5,178.62 U.S. dollars.

Graph and download economic data for Constant GDP per capita: All Income Levels for Sub-Saharan Africa (NYGDPPCAPKDSSF) from 1960 to 2024 about Sub-Saharan Africa, per capita, income, and GDP.

The average for 2024 based on 46 countries was 6130 U.S. dollars. The highest value was in the Seychelles: 29242 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Burundi: 836 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1990 to 2024. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Graph and download economic data for Gross Domestic Product Per Capita: All Income Levels for Sub-Saharan Africa (NYGDPPCAPCDSSF) from 1960 to 2024 about Sub-Saharan Africa, per capita, income, and GDP.

The statistic shows gross domestic product (GDP) in Sub-Saharan Africa from 2020 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. Gross domestic product (GDP) denotes the aggregate value of all services and goods produced within a country in any given year. GDP is an important indicator of a country's economic power. In 2024, Sub-Saharan Africa's aggregated gross domestic product amounted to around 1,841.17 billion U.S. dollars.

Historical dataset showing Sub-Saharan Africa GDP per capita by year from 1960 to 2023.

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.

GDP per capita (constant 2015 US$) in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was reported at 1623 USD in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) - GDP per capita (constant 2000 US$) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

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

The statistic shows the growth in real GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa from 2020 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. Sub-Saharan Africa is the area of the African continent south of the Sahara and includes almost all African countries located there. In 2024, real gross domestic product in Sub-Saharan Africa grew by around 3.99 percent compared to the previous year.

Graph and download economic data for Gross Domestic Product Per Capita for Developing Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (NYGDPPCAPCDSSA) from 1960 to 2024 about Sub-Saharan Africa, per capita, and GDP.

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.

United States - Constant GDP per capita: All Income Levels for Sub-Saharan Africa was 1581.05683 2010 U.S. $ in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Constant GDP per capita: All Income Levels for Sub-Saharan Africa reached a record high of 1688.32725 in January of 2015 and a record low of 1110.44074 in January of 1961. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Constant GDP per capita: All Income Levels for Sub-Saharan Africa - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on October of 2025.

As of April 2025, South Africa's GDP was estimated at over 410 billion U.S. dollars, the highest in Africa. Egypt followed, with a GDP worth around 347 billion U.S. dollars, and ranked as the second-highest on the continent. Algeria ranked third, with nearly 269 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.

Actual value and historical data chart for Sub Saharan Africa All Income Levels GDP Per Capita Constant 2005 Us$

Actual value and historical data chart for Sub Saharan Africa Excluding High Income GDP Per Capita Constant 2000 Us$

19 of the 20 countries with the lowest estimated GDP per capita in the world in 2024 are located in Sub-Saharan Africa. South Sudan is believed to have a GDP per capita of just 351.02 U.S. dollars - for reference, Luxembourg has the highest GDP per capita in the world, at almost 130,000 U.S. dollars, which is around 400 times larger than that of Burundi (U.S. GDP per capita is over 250 times higher than Burundi's). Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa Many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa have been among the most impoverished in the world for over a century, due to lacking nutritional and sanitation infrastructures, persistent conflict, and political instability. These issues are also being exacerbated by climate change, where African nations are some of the most vulnerable in the world, as well as the population boom that will place over the 21st century. Of course, the entire population of Sub-Saharan Africa does not live in poverty, and countries in the southern part of the continent, as well as oil-producing states around the Gulf of Guinea, do have some pockets of significant wealth (especially in urban areas). However, while GDP per capita may be higher in these countries, wealth distribution is often very skewed, and GDP per capita figures are not representative of average living standards across the population. Outside of Africa Yemen is the only country outside of Africa to feature on the list, due to decades of civil war and instability. Yemen lags very far behind some of its neighboring Arab states, some of whom rank among the richest in the world due to their much larger energy sectors. Additionally, the IMF does not make estimates for Afghanistan, which would also likely feature on this list.

United States - Constant GDP per capita for Developing Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa was 1579.61795 2010 U.S. $ in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Constant GDP per capita for Developing Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa reached a record high of 1659.22091 in January of 2015 and a record low of 1068.26972 in January of 1961. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Constant GDP per capita for Developing Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on October of 2025.

Historical dataset showing Sub-Saharan Africa GDP by year from 1960 to 2023.

FGLS estimates of the relationship between Carbon, GDPpcap, Life, POP, and Energy in Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and North Africa, and Europe and Central Asia.