Ores and metals imports in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Ores and metals imports was 2.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Ores and metals imports in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1974–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for ores and metals imports in Sub-Saharan Africa is 2.0%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 15.4% on the previous year and down 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ores and metals imports in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 2.6% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 2023.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 38th out of 47 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Ores and metals imports in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 2.2% | — |
| 1975 | 2.0% | -8.5% |
| 1976 | 2.0% | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 2.0% | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 1.8% | -10.4% |
| 1979 | 1.9% | +9.7% |
| 1996 | 2.0% | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 2.0% | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 2.0% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 2.0% | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 2.1% | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 1.8% | -11.2% |
| 2002 | 2.0% | +6.5% |
| 2003 | 1.9% | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 2.0% | +3.7% |
| 2005 | 1.9% | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 2.2% | +15.8% |
| 2007 | 2.3% | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 2.3% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 1.8% | -24.6% |
| 2010 | 1.9% | +10.6% |
| 2011 | 2.3% | +18.1% |
| 2012 | 2.3% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 2.1% | -7.8% |
| 2014 | 2.2% | +3.9% |
| 2015 | 2.1% | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 2.0% | -3.1% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | +28.5% |
| 2018 | 2.5% | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 1.9% | -23.7% |
| 2020 | 2.1% | +8.3% |
| 2021 | 2.0% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 2.0% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 1.7% | -16.1% |
| 2024 | 2.0% | +15.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.0% | 1.8% | 2.2% | 6 |
| 1990s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 4 |
| 2000s | 2.0% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | 1.9% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.0% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More energy & mining data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Fuel imports 23.6% (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 ores and metals imports in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Ores and metals imports in Sub-Saharan Africa was 2.0% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest ores and metals imports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.6% in 2017.
- What is the lowest ores and metals imports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 2023.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for ores and metals imports?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 38th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is ores and metals imports rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.2%. 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 Ores and metals 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
Ores and metals comprise the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 27 (crude fertilizer, minerals nes); 28 (metalliferous ores, scrap); and 68 (non-ferrous metals). Imports of services are services provided by non-residents to residents. 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.