Total reserves in months of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Total reserves in months of imports was 6.46 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Total reserves in months of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1977–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 6.46 for total reserves in months of imports in 2025.
That represents a change of up 20.2% on the previous year and up 34.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total reserves in months of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 12.31 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 1.92, in 1982.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 29th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Total reserves in months of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 3.23 | — |
| 1978 | 2.17 | -32.8% |
| 1979 | 4.19 | +92.9% |
| 1980 | 4.51 | +7.6% |
| 1981 | 1.98 | -56.1% |
| 1982 | 1.92 | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 2.15 | +11.6% |
| 1984 | 2.18 | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 3.19 | +46.2% |
| 1986 | 4.31 | +35.2% |
| 1987 | 5.24 | +21.5% |
| 1988 | 5.24 | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 6.56 | +25.1% |
| 1990 | 6.32 | -3.6% |
| 1991 | 6.77 | +7.1% |
| 1992 | 7.47 | +10.4% |
| 1993 | 8.91 | +19.2% |
| 1994 | 8.84 | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 8.12 | -8.1% |
| 1996 | 10.16 | +25.1% |
| 1997 | 10.85 | +6.8% |
| 1998 | 12.31 | +13.5% |
| 1999 | 8.2 | -33.4% |
| 2000 | 8.66 | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 8.58 | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 7 | -18.5% |
| 2003 | 5.64 | -19.4% |
| 2004 | 6.2 | +9.9% |
| 2005 | 6.61 | +6.6% |
| 2006 | 8.27 | +25.0% |
| 2007 | 7.37 | -10.9% |
| 2008 | 5.9 | -19.9% |
| 2009 | 6.42 | +8.8% |
| 2010 | 4.95 | -22.9% |
| 2011 | 4.57 | -7.7% |
| 2012 | 5.01 | +9.7% |
| 2013 | 4.9 | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 4.48 | -8.6% |
| 2015 | 4.79 | +7.1% |
| 2016 | 5.86 | +22.4% |
| 2017 | 5.87 | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 5.06 | -13.9% |
| 2019 | 4.85 | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 6.11 | +26.0% |
| 2021 | 5.52 | -9.6% |
| 2022 | 4.38 | -20.6% |
| 2023 | 4.66 | +6.2% |
| 2024 | 5.37 | +15.4% |
| 2025 | 6.46 | +20.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.2 | 2.17 | 4.19 | 3 |
| 1980s | 3.73 | 1.92 | 6.56 | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.8 | 6.32 | 12.31 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.06 | 5.64 | 8.66 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.03 | 4.48 | 5.87 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.42 | 4.38 | 6.46 | 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 total reserves in months of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Total reserves in months of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa was 6.46 in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest total reserves in months of imports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 12.31 in 1998.
- What is the lowest total reserves in months of imports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.92 in 1982.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for total reserves in months of imports?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 29th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is total reserves in months of imports rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Total reserves in months of imports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Reserve assets are external assets, including monetary gold, that are readily available to and controlled by monetary authorities for meeting balance of payments financing needs, for intervention in exchange markets to affect the currency exchange rate, and for other related purposes (such as maintaining confidence in the currency and the economy, and serving as a basis for foreign borrowing). Reserve assets must be denominated and settled in foreign currency. This item is expressed in terms of the number of months of imports of goods and services they could pay for [X/(Imports/12)].