GENEVA / RankWire.AI / – Africa drew $70 billion in foreign direct investment in 2025, its third-highest level since 1990, according to UN Trade and Development. The total fell from the exceptional $94 billion recorded in 2024. It still stood about one third above the continent’s average for 2010 to 2024. The 2025 result showed a broad base of inflows after a prior year lifted by unusually large deals. Foreign direct investment, or FDI, remains a key measure of cross-border capital entering productive assets.
The World Investment Report 2026 said Africa’s 2024 inflows reflected a small number of major transactions. The Ras El-Hekma construction and real estate megaproject in Egypt had a large effect on that year’s total. Excluding major one-off peaks in South Africa in 2021 and Egypt in 2024, the 2025 level marked Africa’s strongest performance in recent decades. The report placed the continent within a global FDI market that rose 6 percent to $1.6 trillion in 2025.
Regional trends across Africa differed sharply. North Africa fell 56 percent to $22 billion after its high 2024 base. West Africa rose 44 percent to $20 billion. East Africa increased 12 percent to $15 billion. Southern Africa declined 21 percent to $8 billion. Central Africa also fell 21 percent, reaching about $5 billion. The figures showed that Africa FDI in 2025 remained concentrated, even as some regions recorded clear gains.
Regional inflows diverge
Egypt remained Africa’s largest FDI recipient in 2025, with inflows of about $15 billion. The report said underlying inflows to Egypt rose by about one fourth when the 2024 megaproject transaction was excluded. Morocco recorded about $3.3 billion, helped by manufacturing and automotive activity. In West Africa, Guinea’s inflows rose more than fivefold to about $8 billion. Mining projects in bauxite and iron ore drove the increase. Nigeria received about $4 billion, mainly linked to oil and gas projects.
East Africa kept a firm position among African investment destinations. Ethiopia maintained FDI inflows of about $4 billion and saw a rise in announced greenfield projects. Uganda reached $3.4 billion, with investment tied to oil refining and battery storage. Mozambique’s inflows rose to about $6 billion, linked largely to hydrocarbons and liquefied natural gas. Angola returned to positive inflows of about $1.1 billion. South Africa recorded negative inflows of about $2.3 billion due to financial flows, profit repatriation and transactions.
Projects remain concentrated
Greenfield investment values in Africa declined by almost one third in 2025, while the number of announced projects increased. The data pointed to a broader set of smaller projects after a megaproject-heavy 2024. The top 10 greenfield projects still made up roughly 40 percent of total announced greenfield value. Listed projects included a $5 billion chemicals project in Ghana by Al Jedad Holding and a $3 billion chemicals project in Ethiopia by Dangote Group.
Sector data showed continued concentration in energy infrastructure and extractive industries. Investment activity centered on hydrocarbons, liquefied natural gas, mining, renewable energy and critical minerals. Digital infrastructure also appeared as a growing area, though African projects remained smaller than large data center projects in developed economies. European investors remained prominent by FDI stock. China, Singapore and India also ranked among leading investor home economies. Greenfield announcements showed a larger role for Gulf and Asian investors in energy, logistics, real estate and infrastructure.
