South Africa FDI Inflows
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as % of GDP BX.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS
South Africa's fdi inflows was 0.08% in 2025, ranked 166th globally. This represents a 85.7% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1970–2025.
Overview
South Africa's fdi inflows stood at 0.08% in 2025, a decline of +0.50% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 0.08% by 2025. South Africa ranked 166th globally.
South Africa's FDI inflows have experienced significant fluctuations over the past 56 years, with an all-time peak of 9.68 billion USD in 2021, a marked improvement from the all-time trough of -0.77 billion USD in 1979. The country's FDI inflows have been steadily increasing since the 1990s, with some fluctuations, and reached a relatively stable level, 0.08 billion USD, in 2025, ranking #166 globally. This is comparable to Ecuador's FDI inflows, which stood at 0.11 billion USD in 2025. However, compared to India, which received 0.14 billion USD in FDI inflows in 2025, South Africa's performance appears less impressive. To reverse the current trend and increase foreign investment, the South African government would need to address concerns related to corruption, regulatory uncertainty, and infrastructure development, making its economy more attractive to foreign investors.
Data & projection
| Year | FDI Inflows | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | -1.79% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | -0.85% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 0.08% | - | - |
| 2025 | 0.08% | −0.50% | #166 |
| 2024 | 0.58% | −0.43% | #149 |
| 2023 | 1.01% | −1.25% | #135 |
| 2022 | 2.27% | −7.41% | #110 |
| 2021 | 9.68% | +8.75% | #26 |
| 2020 | 0.93% | −0.38% | #128 |
| 2019 | 1.31% | −0.06% | #142 |
| 2018 | 1.37% | +0.83% | #135 |
| 2017 | 0.54% | −0.14% | #169 |
| 2016 | 0.68% | +0.25% | #165 |
| 2015 | 0.44% | −1.08% | #168 |
| 2014 | 1.52% | −0.53% | #137 |
| 2013 | 2.05% | +0.99% | #117 |
| 2012 | 1.06% | +0.16% | #162 |
| 2011 | 0.90% | +0.02% | #166 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
South Africa matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 1994. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw fdi inflows improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
South Africa's fdi inflows was 0.08% in 2025. Ranked 166th globally. This represents a 85.7% decrease from the previous year.
South Africa's fdi inflows peaked at 9.68% in 2021.
The lowest fdi inflows in South Africa was -0.77% in 1979.
South Africa ranks 166th globally in fdi inflows as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is BX.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
South Africa's fdi inflows is projected to reach 0.08% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The fdi inflows of South Africa in 2025 was 0.08%. This ranks 166th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_south-africa_fdi-inflows,
title = {South Africa FDI Inflows},
url = {https://historysaid.com/south-africa/fdi-inflows/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}