Trade balance — all countries

Trade balance — Sub-Saharan Africa

Trade balance in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2025 — -29,166,783,481 US$. Since 1980, the indicator has fallen by 3,613.8%.

2025 -29.17B US$ +16.98% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 6.69B US$2006
Period minimum -76.15B US$2015

Trend over time

1980–2025 · US$

Trade balance — Sub-Saharan Africa, 1980–2025-100B-75B-50B-25B025B19801985199019952000200520102015202020251980: 830,055,114 US$1981: -9,621,098,494 US$1986: 2,417,663,288 US$1987: 3,610,187,977 US$1988: 1,431,257,752 US$1989: 933,762,499 US$1990: 1,000,336,419 US$1991: -3,962,949,785 US$1992: -1,579,217,749 US$1993: 746,348,311 US$1994: -1,685,165,553 US$1995: -4,487,974,476 US$1996: -3,135,059,450 US$1997: -5,565,277,191 US$1998: -9,204,822,820 US$1999: -5,347,019,707 US$2000: -1,933,897,062 US$2001: -1,855,070,151 US$2002: -1,825,164,592 US$2003: -4,823,337,423 US$2004: -6,554,408,835 US$2005: 1,472,617,769 US$2006: 6,688,354,126 US$2007: 830,492,729 US$2008: 4,843,772,019 US$2009: -26,994,686,624 US$2010: -1,581,427,938 US$2011: 1,119,338,323 US$2012: -28,169,544,953 US$2013: -52,475,732,445 US$2014: -56,468,418,541 US$2015: -76,149,538,779 US$2016: -57,756,984,062 US$2017: -42,432,960,590 US$2018: -34,806,523,946 US$2019: -38,355,996,386 US$2020: -30,601,443,023 US$2021: -10,625,263,476 US$2022: -32,644,821,423 US$2023: -50,216,656,145 US$2024: -35,130,847,805 US$2025: -29,166,783,481 US$
Change over the period: −30B (−3,613.84%)
Trade balance — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year US$ Change Change, %
2025 -29.17B +5.96B +16.98%
2024 -35.13B +15.09B +30.04%
2023 -50.22B −17.57B −53.83%
2022 -32.64B −22.02B −207.24%
2021 -10.63B +19.98B +65.28%
2020 -30.6B +7.75B +20.22%
2019 -38.36B −3.55B −10.2%
2018 -34.81B +7.63B +17.97%
2017 -42.43B +15.32B +26.53%
2016 -57.76B +18.39B +24.15%
2015 -76.15B −19.68B −34.85%
2014 -56.47B −3.99B −7.61%
2013 -52.48B −24.31B −86.29%
2012 -28.17B −29.29B −2,616.62%
2011 1.12B +2.7B +170.78%
2010 -1.58B +25.41B +94.14%
2009 -26.99B −31.84B −657.31%
2008 4.84B +4.01B +483.24%
2007 830M −5.86B −87.58%
2006 6.69B +5.22B +354.18%
2005 1.47B +8.03B +122.47%
2004 -6.55B −1.73B −35.89%
2003 -4.82B −3B −164.27%
2002 -1.83B +29.91M +1.61%
2001 -1.86B +78.83M +4.08%
2000 -1.93B +3.41B +63.83%
1999 -5.35B +3.86B +41.91%
1998 -9.2B −3.64B −65.4%
1997 -5.57B −2.43B −77.52%
1996 -3.14B +1.35B +30.15%
1995 -4.49B −2.8B −166.32%
1994 -1.69B −2.43B −325.79%
1993 746M +2.33B +147.26%
1992 -1.58B +2.38B +60.15%
1991 -3.96B −4.96B −496.16%
1990 1B +66.57M +7.13%
1989 934M −497M −34.76%
1988 1.43B −2.18B −60.36%
1987 3.61B +1.19B +49.33%
1986 2.42B
1981 -9.62B −10.45B −1,259.09%
1980 830M

About the indicator

The balance of foreign trade in goods and services: exports minus imports. This is the largest part of the current account but not the whole of it — investment income and remittances do not enter the trade balance, and for countries with large transfers the two indicators move in opposite directions. A surplus is not in itself a sign of a healthy economy: a country importing equipment for construction will run a deficit precisely because it is investing in growth.

Important: Goods and services together. For countries with large service exports — tourism, transport, software — the merchandise balance can be negative while the overall balance is positive.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.