Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio was 16.0% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2001–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 16.0%.
That represents a change of up 3.6% on the previous year and down 13.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 20.6% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 15.5%, in 2024.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 25th of 39 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 16.4% | — |
| 2002 | 17.4% | +5.9% |
| 2003 | 16.7% | -4.2% |
| 2004 | 17.4% | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 18.5% | +6.2% |
| 2006 | 18.1% | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 19.4% | +6.9% |
| 2008 | 17.2% | -11.2% |
| 2009 | 18.4% | +7.3% |
| 2010 | 18.4% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 16.9% | -8.2% |
| 2012 | 18.2% | +7.7% |
| 2013 | 20.6% | +13.2% |
| 2014 | 18.6% | -9.7% |
| 2015 | 18.5% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 18.1% | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 18.8% | +4.2% |
| 2018 | 18.1% | -4.1% |
| 2019 | 18.7% | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 18.7% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 19.7% | +5.5% |
| 2022 | 17.3% | -12.1% |
| 2023 | 16.2% | -6.6% |
| 2024 | 15.5% | -4.3% |
| 2025 | 16.0% | +3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.7% | 16.4% | 19.4% | 9 |
| 2010s | 18.5% | 16.9% | 20.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.2% | 15.5% | 19.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More financial sector data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 1.75 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0.1205 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0008 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 1.28 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 1.75 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0.1205 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa was 16.0% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 20.6% in 2013.
- What is the lowest bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.5% in 2024.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 25th out of 39 groups with data for 2025.
- Is bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Ratio of bank liquid reserves to bank assets is the ratio of domestic currency holdings and deposits with the monetary authorities to claims on other governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, the private sector, and other banking institutions. This indicator is expressed as a percentage (a÷b)*100.