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Largest economies in Africa, 1980 to 2025

South Africa has Africa's largest economy at about $427 billion in 2025, ahead of Egypt at $365 billion and Nigeria at $291 billion.

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What the data shows

  • In 2025, South Africa ranks #1 with $427B, ahead of Egypt ($365B) and Nigeria ($291B).
  • The top spot changed hands 12 times, first to Nigeria in 1981, most recently to South Africa in 2024.
  • Biggest climber: Angola, from #16 in 1980 to #8 in 2025.
  • South Africa grew 4.8× between 1980 and 2025.

About this chart

South Africa leads Africa with a GDP of about $427 billion in 2025, and it was also first in 1980 at $89 billion. The rest of the order has changed. Nigeria was second in 1980 at $64 billion, but by 2025 it sits third at $291 billion, behind Egypt at $365 billion. Algeria is fourth at $287 billion, just below Nigeria, and Morocco follows at $182 billion.

Libya was fourth in 1980 at $41 billion and does not appear in the 2025 top ten, which now includes Kenya ($136 billion), Ethiopia ($126 billion), Angola ($122 billion), Ghana ($114 billion) and Côte d'Ivoire ($100 billion). The figures are World Bank GDP in current US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, so exchange-rate moves can shift a country's position and early years look small.

The data

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (NY.GDP.MKTP.CD), GDP in current US$ billions; Africa. Retrieved November 4, 2026.

Largest economies in Africa, GDP, current US$ billions, 1980–2025
Date🇿🇦 South Africa🇪🇬 Egypt🇳🇬 Nigeria🇩🇿 Algeria🇲🇦 Morocco🇰🇪 Kenya🇪🇹 Ethiopia🇦🇴 Angola🇬🇭 Ghana🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire🇨🇩 DR Congo🇹🇿 Tanzania🇸🇩 Sudan🇨🇲 Cameroon🇹🇳 Tunisia🇱🇾 Libya🇬🇳 Guinea
1980$89B$22B$64B$42B$22B$7B$7B$6B$4B$10B$14B$11B$9B$7B$9B$41B$10B
1981$93B$22B$164B$44B$18B$7B$8B$6B$4B$8B$13B$13B$11B$7B$8B$36B$10B
1982$86B$28B$143B$45B$18B$6B$8B$6B$4B$8B$14B$14B$9B$7B$8B$34B$12B
1983$96B$31B$97B$49B$16B$6B$9B$6B$4B$7B$11B$14B$8B$7B$8B$33B$15B
1984$85B$34B$73B$54B$15B$6B$8B$6B$4B$7B$8B$13B$10B$7B$8B$29B$18B
1985$64B$39B$74B$58B$15B$6B$10B$8B$5B$7B$7B$15B$8B$9B$8B$32B$23B
1986$73B$41B$55B$64B$19B$7B$10B$7B$6B$9B$8B$11B$10B$12B$9B$24B$3B
1987$97B$40B$53B$67B$22B$8B$11B$8B$5B$10B$8B$8B$12B$13B$10B$27B$3B
1988$104B$35B$50B$59B$26B$8B$11B$9B$5B$10B$9B$7B$14B$12B$10B$24B$3B
1989$108B$40B$44B$56B$26B$8B$12B$10B$5B$10B$9B$6B$21B$11B$10B$25B$4B
1990$126B$43B$54B$62B$30B$9B$12B$11B$6B$11B$9B$6B$34B$12B$12B$29B$4B
1991$135B$37B$60B$46B$32B$8B$14B$11B$7B$10B$10B$7B$44B$12B$13B$32B$4B
1992$147B$42B$52B$48B$34B$8B$11B$8B$6B$11B$8B$7B$7B$12B$15B$34B$5B
1993$147B$47B$57B$50B$32B$6B$9B$6B$6B$11B$11B$6B$9B$16B$15B$31B$5B
1994$154B$52B$80B$43B$36B$7B$7B$4B$5B$8B$6B$7B$13B$9B$16B$29B$5B
1995$172B$60B$141B$42B$39B$9B$8B$6B$6B$11B$6B$8B$14B$11B$18B$26B$5B
1996$163B$68B$186B$47B$43B$12B$9B$8B$7B$18B$6B$9B$9B$11B$20B$28B$6B
1997$169B$78B$201B$48B$39B$13B$9B$8B$7B$18B$6B$11B$12B$11B$21B$31B$6B
1998$153B$85B$218B$48B$46B$14B$8B$7B$7B$20B$6B$12B$11B$11B$22B$27B$5B
1999$152B$91B$59B$49B$46B$13B$8B$6B$8B$19B$5B$13B$11B$12B$23B$36B$5B
2000$152B$100B$69B$55B$43B$13B$8B$9B$5B$17B$19B$13B$12B$11B$21B$38B$4B
2001$135B$97B$74B$59B$44B$13B$8B$9B$5B$17B$7B$14B$16B$11B$22B$34B$4B
2002$129B$85B$95B$62B$47B$13B$8B$17B$6B$18B$9B$14B$18B$12B$23B$20B$4B
2003$197B$80B$105B$73B$58B$15B$9B$20B$8B$21B$9B$15B$21B$16B$27B$26B$5B
2004$256B$79B$136B$92B$66B$16B$10B$27B$9B$24B$10B$17B$27B$19B$31B$33B$5B
2005$289B$90B$176B$107B$69B$19B$12B$41B$11B$24B$13B$18B$35B$20B$32B$47B$4B
2006$304B$107B$238B$123B$76B$26B$15B$59B$21B$25B$15B$19B$45B$21B$34B$60B$4B
2007$333B$130B$278B$142B$87B$32B$20B$73B$25B$29B$18B$22B$59B$24B$39B$68B$6B
2008$316B$163B$339B$180B$102B$36B$27B$99B$29B$34B$23B$28B$65B$28B$45B$87B$7B
2009$330B$189B$295B$150B$101B$42B$32B$82B$26B$34B$19B$29B$52B$28B$43B$61B$7B
2010$417B$219B$367B$178B$101B$45B$30B$96B$32B$35B$24B$32B$59B$28B$46B$75B$7B
2011$458B$236B$414B$218B$110B$47B$32B$126B$39B$37B$26B$35B$55B$31B$48B$48B$7B
2012$434B$279B$464B$227B$107B$56B$43B$144B$41B$36B$30B$40B$38B$30B$47B$93B$8B
2013$401B$288B$520B$230B$116B$62B$48B$149B$63B$43B$35B$46B$43B$34B$49B$75B$8B
2014$381B$306B$574B$239B$119B$68B$56B$153B$55B$49B$38B$50B$50B$36B$50B$57B$9B
2015$347B$329B$493B$187B$110B$70B$62B$103B$49B$46B$40B$47B$52B$32B$46B$49B$9B
2016$324B$332B$405B$181B$112B$75B$68B$61B$56B$48B$39B$50B$43B$34B$44B$50B$9B
2017$381B$248B$376B$190B$119B$82B$76B$86B$60B$53B$38B$53B$41B$36B$42B$67B$10B
2018$405B$263B$422B$195B$127B$92B$83B$91B$67B$59B$47B$57B$32B$40B$43B$77B$12B
2019$389B$319B$668B$193B$129B$100B$92B$81B$68B$60B$47B$61B$32B$40B$42B$69B$13B
2020$338B$384B$599B$165B$121B$101B$99B$59B$70B$63B$47B$66B$27B$41B$42B$47B$14B
2021$420B$425B$609B$186B$142B$110B$109B$78B$80B$73B$59B$71B$34B$45B$47B$35B$17B
2022$408B$477B$647B$226B$131B$114B$123B$128B$74B$71B$70B$76B$52B$44B$45B$43B$20B
2023$381B$396B$487B$248B$146B$108B$136B$106B$81B$81B$70B$79B$40B$49B$48B$44B$22B
2024$401B$389B$252B$269B$161B$120B$150B$103B$83B$87B$76B$79B$50B$53B$51B$48B$25B
2025$427B$365B$291B$287B$182B$136B$126B$122B$114B$100B$91B$90B$60B$59B$58B$48B$28B

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest economy in Africa?

In 2025, South Africa ranks #1 with $427B, followed by Egypt ($365B) and Nigeria ($291B). Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (NY.GDP.MKTP.CD), GDP in current US$ billions; Africa.

Which is the largest economy in Africa?

South Africa has the largest economy in Africa, with a GDP of about $427 billion in 2025. Egypt is second at $365 billion and Nigeria third at $291 billion, in current US dollars.

Who had Africa's largest economy in 1980?

South Africa was already first in 1980, at about $89 billion. Nigeria was second at $64 billion, followed by Algeria at $42 billion, Libya at $41 billion and Morocco at $22 billion.

Is this GDP adjusted for inflation?

No. These are World Bank GDP figures in current US dollars, so each year uses that year's prices and exchange rates. Currency changes can move a country up or down the ranking.

Where does this data come from?

World Bank, World Development Indicators (NY.GDP.MKTP.CD), GDP in current US$ billions; Africa. Retrieved November 4, 2026. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

Can I turn this chart into a video?

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