Fuel imports in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Fuel imports was 23.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Fuel imports in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1974–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 23.6% for fuel imports in 2024. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 24.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fuel imports in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 23.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.1%, in 1975.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 8th out of 47 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Fuel imports in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 5.3% | — |
| 1975 | 5.1% | -3.9% |
| 1976 | 7.2% | +42.0% |
| 1977 | 5.8% | -19.6% |
| 1978 | 5.7% | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 6.8% | +18.8% |
| 1996 | 10.5% | +54.7% |
| 1997 | 11.5% | +9.9% |
| 1998 | 10.4% | -9.6% |
| 1999 | 10.4% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 14.3% | +37.2% |
| 2001 | 13.3% | -7.0% |
| 2002 | 11.2% | -15.9% |
| 2003 | 13.2% | +17.6% |
| 2004 | 13.9% | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 15.5% | +11.4% |
| 2006 | 16.4% | +5.8% |
| 2007 | 14.3% | -12.7% |
| 2008 | 17.4% | +21.6% |
| 2009 | 14.3% | -17.8% |
| 2010 | 15.1% | +5.4% |
| 2011 | 16.9% | +12.4% |
| 2012 | 16.5% | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 19.2% | +16.2% |
| 2014 | 19.0% | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 16.0% | -15.9% |
| 2016 | 14.9% | -6.8% |
| 2017 | 15.6% | +4.8% |
| 2018 | 18.2% | +16.5% |
| 2019 | 16.4% | -9.4% |
| 2020 | 14.1% | -14.3% |
| 2021 | 17.4% | +23.8% |
| 2022 | 23.5% | +34.5% |
| 2023 | 23.3% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 23.6% | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.0% | 5.1% | 7.2% | 6 |
| 1990s | 10.7% | 10.4% | 11.5% | 4 |
| 2000s | 14.4% | 11.2% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.8% | 14.9% | 19.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.4% | 14.1% | 23.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More energy & mining data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Ores and metals imports 2.0% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 16.1% (2024)
- Fuel exports 40.1% (2024)
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses 25.8% (2024)
- Mineral rents 2.9% (2021)
- Natural gas rents 0.5% (2021)
- Total natural resources rents 10.0% (2021)
- Alternative and nuclear energy 17.4% (2024)
- Electric power consumption 376.79 kWh per capita (2023)
- Combustible renewables and waste 62.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fuel imports in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Fuel imports in Sub-Saharan Africa was 23.6% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest fuel imports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 23.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest fuel imports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.1% in 1975.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for fuel imports?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 8th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is fuel imports rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Fuels comprise the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) section 3 (mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise imports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a non-resident and a resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.