Merchandise imports — all countries

Merchandise imports — Sub-Saharan Africa

Merchandise imports in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2025 — 501,155,229,911 US$. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 8,778.8%.

2025 501B US$ +7.73% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 501B US$2025
Period minimum 5.57B US$1962

Trend over time

1960–2025 · US$

Merchandise imports — Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–20250200B400B600B19601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 5,644,378,630 US$1962: 5,571,762,107 US$1964: 7,126,793,088 US$1966: 7,774,117,526 US$1968: 8,586,385,209 US$1970: 11,246,224,726 US$1972: 12,928,853,312 US$1974: 23,797,472,116 US$1976: 29,877,549,887 US$1978: 41,519,015,976 US$1980: 67,423,404,651 US$1982: 61,869,509,988 US$1984: 48,317,558,541 US$1986: 42,658,681,102 US$1988: 53,760,354,926 US$1990: 58,232,321,009 US$1992: 62,798,193,081 US$1994: 64,429,968,243 US$1996: 80,481,122,814 US$1998: 83,504,232,778 US$2000: 82,298,006,872 US$2002: 85,506,225,733 US$2004: 141,674,703,451 US$2006: 209,837,030,419 US$2008: 318,265,572,473 US$2010: 315,940,644,976 US$2012: 414,701,271,303 US$2014: 441,577,272,202 US$2016: 332,857,988,458 US$2018: 383,280,042,177 US$2020: 320,112,637,330 US$2022: 486,976,833,048 US$2024: 465,196,239,947 US$2025: 501,155,229,911 US$
Change over the period: +496B (+8,778.84%) Average annual rate: 7.15 %

Comparison, 2025

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

Sub-Saharan Africa 501B US$
World 26.69T US$
Merchandise imports — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year US$ Change Change, %
2025 501B +35.96B +7.73%
2024 465B −10.39B −2.18%
2023 476B −11.39B −2.34%
2022 487B +81.06B +19.97%
2021 406B +85.8B +26.8%
2020 320B −63.94B −16.65%
2019 384B +774M +0.2%
2018 383B +43.28B +12.73%
2017 340B +7.14B +2.15%
2016 333B −48.8B −12.79%
2015 382B −59.91B −13.57%
2014 442B +7.05B +1.62%
2013 435B +19.83B +4.78%
2012 415B +22.71B +5.79%
2011 392B +76.05B +24.07%
2010 316B +47.76B +17.81%
2009 268B −50.08B −15.74%
2008 318B +62.88B +24.62%
2007 255B +45.55B +21.71%
2006 210B +35.45B +20.33%
2005 174B +32.72B +23.09%
2004 142B +30.86B +27.84%
2003 111B +25.31B +29.6%
2002 85.51B −1.14B −1.31%
2001 86.64B +4.34B +5.28%
2000 82.3B +1.91B +2.37%
1999 80.39B −3.11B −3.73%
1998 83.5B −3.73B −4.28%
1997 87.24B +6.76B +8.4%
1996 80.48B +1.47B +1.87%
1995 79.01B +14.58B +22.63%
1994 64.43B +3.09B +5.03%
1993 61.34B −1.46B −2.32%
1992 62.8B +2.77B +4.61%
1991 60.03B +1.8B +3.09%
1990 58.23B +3.63B +6.64%
1989 54.61B +846M +1.57%
1988 53.76B +5.73B +11.93%
1987 48.03B +5.37B +12.6%
1986 42.66B −956M −2.19%
1985 43.61B −4.7B −9.73%
1984 48.32B −4.65B −8.77%
1983 52.96B −8.91B −14.39%
1982 61.87B −12.51B −16.82%
1981 74.38B +6.95B +10.31%
1980 67.42B +25.03B +59.03%
1979 42.4B +879M +2.12%
1978 41.52B +6.72B +19.3%
1977 34.8B +4.93B +16.49%
1976 29.88B +849M +2.92%
1975 29.03B +5.23B +21.98%
1974 23.8B +7.22B +43.57%
1973 16.58B +3.65B +28.2%
1972 12.93B −222M −1.69%
1971 13.15B +1.9B +16.94%
1970 11.25B +1.83B +19.43%
1969 9.42B +830M +9.67%
1968 8.59B +289M +3.49%
1967 8.3B +523M +6.73%
1966 7.77B −136M −1.72%
1965 7.91B +783M +10.99%
1964 7.13B +1.08B +17.8%
1963 6.05B +478M +8.58%
1962 5.57B −135M −2.36%
1961 5.71B +62.24M +1.1%
1960 5.64B

About the indicator

The value of imports of goods (excluding services) in current US dollars from WTO data, on a CIF basis. Together with merchandise exports it gives the merchandise trade balance — the indicator most often discussed in the context of a “trade deficit” between particular countries.

Source: UNCTADstat (UNCTAD), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.