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Immigrants make up nearly 1 in 5 people in Gabon, leading African countries with highest migrant populations
  • Gabon leads with 18.7% of its population being immigrants, the highest in Africa.
  • Equatorial Guinea follows with 16.4%, also driven by oil-related labor demand.
  • Djibouti (12.1%) and Libya (12.0%) round out the top four with migrant shares over 10%.
  • South Africa has the highest immigrant population in Southern Africa at 4.8%.
  • Most African nations still record under 5% immigrant share, indicating modest migration levels continent-wide.

UAE’s population is 88% immigrants as Gabon tops African list with 19% migrant share
  1. The United Arab Emirates tops the list with immigrants making up 88% of its total population.
  2. Qatar follows closely with 87% of its residents being immigrants.
  3. Kuwait (73%) and Bahrain (55%) also feature prominently, showing a regional trend where nationals are a minority and foreign workers form the economic backbone
  4. Middle Eastern dominance in the top rankings highlights how the Gulf region’s economic model is heavily dependent on imported labor and expatriate populations.

Libya, Nigeria, and Algeria held more than 80% of Africa’s recoverable oil reserves in 2024
  • Libya leads Africa with 48.4 billion barrels of recoverable oil, the continent’s highest.
  • Nigeria ranks second with 37.3 billion barrels, accounting for about 27% of reserves among top holders.
  • Algeria holds 12.2 billion barrels, rounding out the top three and far ahead of other nations.
  • Sudan, Egypt, and Angola each contribute between 2.5 and 5 billion barrels, showing smaller but notable reserves.

Algeria, Nigeria, Egypt and Libya accounted for 78% of Africa’s 144 active oil rigs in 2024
  • Algeria leads Africa with 41 active oil rigs, making up nearly 29% of the continent's total count.
  • Nigeria follows with 31 rigs, confirming its strong position in West Africa’s upstream oil activity.
  • Egypt ranks third with 23 rigs, while Libya maintains 18 rigs despite its fluctuating political climate.
  • The top seven countries host 122 of Africa’s 144 rigs, showing drilling operations are concentrated in just a handful of nations.

Gabon charges the highest air travel tax in Africa at $298, 229 times more than Libya’s $1.30 fee
  • Gabon imposes Africa’s highest international air travel tax at $297.70, followed closely by Sierra Leone at $294 and Nigeria at $180.
  • Libya charges the lowest air travel tax among the listed African countries at just $1.30, with other low-cost countries including Malawi ($5.00), Lesotho ($5.70), and Algeria ($9.80).
  • All of the 10 most expensive countries charge over $100 in departure taxes, suggesting a trend of high levies among a subset of African nations.
  • The gap between the highest and lowest air travel taxes in Africa exceeds $296, revealing significant disparities in passenger costs across the continent.

Rwanda tops SSA for 3rd consecutive year in Rule of Law Index 2024; Nigeria Ranks 23rd of 34 countries
Rwanda is performing relatively well in terms of governance and rule of law, leading sub-Saharan Africa for the third consecutive year with a score of 0.63 in the 2024 Rule of Law Index. Namibia (0.61) and Mauritius (0.60) closely follow, showcasing relatively stronger legal frameworks. At the lower end, Nigeria, Congo, and Gabon score 0.40, highlighting persistent governance challenges. Globally, Denmark tops the list of 142 countries, with a score of 0.90, while Venezuela ranks last at 0.26, emphasising the gap between SSA's highest performers and global leaders. This mix of progress and struggles illustrates the varied state of governance across the region.

Libya, Seychelles, Equatorial Guinea, and South Africa have dominated Africa’s GDP per capita rankings since 1960
Since 2015, Seychelles has topped Africa's GDP per capita rankings because of its strength in tourism and fishing. Libya, Equatorial Guinea, and South Africa have also occupied the top spot since 1960. Watch how the countries vied for the top ten spots over the years.

Africa’s productivity leaders: Libya gets the most value from each workhour
In 2023, Libya led Africa in labour productivity, generating $29.7 per hour worked. Gabon and Mauritius followed at $25.6 and $25.5. Meanwhile, Nigeria's workers generated $6.8 per hour, and Burundi recorded the lowest at $0.8. Globally, Luxembourg and Ireland topped the list with $146 and $143 per hour, showcasing the efficiency and quality of human capital in these economies.

Angola has secured 25% of Chinese loans to Africa since 2000
Between 2000 and 2023, Africa received $182 billion in Chinese loans, primarily for energy and transportation development. Angola, with 25%, was the largest recipient; Ethiopia, Egypt, Nigeria, and Kenya followed. While 49 countries benefited, experts warn of increasing debt risks.

Only 7 African nations meet the WHO's recommended doctor-to-population ratio
As of 2022, only seven African countries met the WHO's recommended doctor-to-population ratio of 10 doctors per 10,000 people. Cape Verde, Seychelles, Libya, Eswatini, Tunisia, Mauritius, and Algeria are leading the way in healthcare accessibility in Africa. However, the continent still averages only 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people.

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