Reserves in months of imports — all countries

Reserves in months of imports — Sub-Saharan Africa

Reserves in months of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2025 — 6.46 months. Since 1977, the indicator has risen by 99.7%.

2025 6.46 months +20.18% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 12.31 months1998
Period minimum 1.92 months1982

Trend over time

1977–2025 · months of imports

Reserves in months of imports — Sub-Saharan Africa, 1977–2025051015197719821987199219972002200720122017202220251977: 3.23 months1978: 2.17 months1979: 4.19 months1980: 4.51 months1981: 1.98 months1982: 1.92 months1983: 2.15 months1984: 2.18 months1985: 3.19 months1986: 4.31 months1987: 5.24 months1988: 5.24 months1989: 6.56 months1990: 6.32 months1991: 6.77 months1992: 7.47 months1993: 8.91 months1994: 8.84 months1995: 8.12 months1996: 10.16 months1997: 10.85 months1998: 12.31 months1999: 8.2 months2000: 8.66 months2001: 8.58 months2002: 7 months2003: 5.64 months2004: 6.2 months2005: 6.61 months2006: 8.27 months2007: 7.37 months2008: 5.9 months2009: 6.42 months2010: 4.95 months2011: 4.57 months2012: 5.01 months2013: 4.9 months2014: 4.48 months2015: 4.79 months2016: 5.86 months2017: 5.87 months2018: 5.06 months2019: 4.85 months2020: 6.11 months2021: 5.52 months2022: 4.38 months2023: 4.66 months2024: 5.37 months2025: 6.46 months
Change over the period: +3.22 (+99.67%) Average annual rate: 1.45 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa 6.46 months
World 8.89 months
Reserves in months of imports — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year months Change Change, %
2025 6.46 +1.08 +20.18%
2024 5.37 +0.72 +15.37%
2023 4.66 +0.27 +6.23%
2022 4.38 −1.14 −20.57%
2021 5.52 −0.59 −9.58%
2020 6.11 +1.26 +25.99%
2019 4.85 −0.21 −4.17%
2018 5.06 −0.82 −13.91%
2017 5.87 +0.01 +0.17%
2016 5.86 +1.07 +22.36%
2015 4.79 +0.32 +7.06%
2014 4.48 −0.42 −8.56%
2013 4.9 −0.12 −2.34%
2012 5.01 +0.44 +9.7%
2011 4.57 −0.38 −7.72%
2010 4.95 −1.47 −22.87%
2009 6.42 +0.52 +8.83%
2008 5.9 −1.47 −19.94%
2007 7.37 −0.9 −10.88%
2006 8.27 +1.65 +25.02%
2005 6.61 +0.41 +6.65%
2004 6.2 +0.56 +9.92%
2003 5.64 −1.35 −19.36%
2002 7 −1.58 −18.46%
2001 8.58 −0.08 −0.95%
2000 8.66 +0.46 +5.61%
1999 8.2 −4.11 −33.41%
1998 12.31 +1.46 +13.46%
1997 10.85 +0.69 +6.78%
1996 10.16 +2.04 +25.13%
1995 8.12 −0.72 −8.11%
1994 8.84 −0.07 −0.74%
1993 8.91 +1.44 +19.24%
1992 7.47 +0.7 +10.39%
1991 6.77 +0.45 +7.06%
1990 6.32 −0.24 −3.59%
1989 6.56 +1.32 +25.11%
1988 5.24 +0 +0.08%
1987 5.24 +0.93 +21.54%
1986 4.31 +1.12 +35.16%
1985 3.19 +1.01 +46.2%
1984 2.18 +0.03 +1.56%
1983 2.15 +0.22 +11.57%
1982 1.92 −0.06 −2.95%
1981 1.98 −2.53 −56.06%
1980 4.51 +0.32 +7.61%
1979 4.19 +2.02 +92.9%
1978 2.17 −1.06 −32.81%
1977 3.23

About the indicator

The ratio of international reserves to average monthly imports of goods and services. The commonly accepted minimum benchmark of adequacy is three months of imports; below that level a country becomes vulnerable to external shocks and to a halt in the inflow of capital.

Important: The aggregate is weighted by imports: all of the reserves of a group divided by its average monthly imports. Weighting by population or GDP will not do here — imports are precisely what stands in the denominator of the indicator.

Source: World Economic Outlook (IMF), license IMF open data.