Algeria’s FDI peaked at $2.75B in 2009, plunged to a -$580M outflow in 2015, then jumped 476% from $250M in 2022 to $1.44B in 2024.

Key Takeaways

  • Peak FDI was in 2009 with $2.75 billion, the highest recorded in the 1990–2024 period.
  • The year 2015 saw a rare negative inflow of -$580 million, marking Algeria’s only net FDI loss in the last three decades.
  • FDI inflows rose significantly between 2005 and 2011, consistently staying above $1 billion each year.
  • After the 2015 drop, inflows recovered modestly, hovering between $1.1B and $1.6B from 2016 to 2020.
  • FDI weakened again post-2020, falling to just $250 million in 2022, before rebounding to $1.44 billion by 2024.

Algeria’s foreign direct investment was minimal through the 1990s, with inflows staying below $1 billion until 2001. The 2000s marked a shift, with FDI rising steadily to reach a high of $2.75 billion in 2009. This upward trend reflected a period of investor confidence and economic openness.

 

However, in 2015, Algeria recorded its only FDI outflow, a negative figure of -$580 million, signalling a year of capital withdrawal. Despite this drop, the country quickly regained momentum, bringing inflows back to over $1.6 billion in 2016 and maintaining stable values through 2020.

Post-2020, inflows weakened again, bottoming out at just $250 million in 2022. The country managed a partial recovery by 2024, ending the period with $1.44 billion in FDI. Overall, while growth has been uneven, Algeria’s FDI story reflects long-term improvement, from a near-zero base in the 1990s to substantial inflows in recent years.

Source:

UNCTAD

Period:

1990 - 2024
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DR Congo’s FDI inflows rose from near-zero in the 1990s to $3.11B in 2024, with its highest growth phase occurring between 2007 and 2012
  • The 1990s saw multiple years of flat or negative FDI, including -$0.02B in 1995 and -$0.04B in 1997.
  • FDI surged to $1.81B in 2007 and $2.94B in 2010, marking a turning point.
  • The all-time high was $3.31B in 2012, with 2024 following closely at $3.11B.
  • From 2015 to 2024, annual FDI remained steadily above $1B, signalling sustained investor confidence.
Egypt rebounded from a $480 million FDI loss in 2011 to $46.6 billion in 2024, an over 9,000% surge, marking its highest inflow in 30+ years
  • Egypt attracted $46.6B in FDI in 2024, the highest in 35 years and nearly quadruple 2023’s $9.8B inflow.
  • Average FDI between 1990–2023 was just $4.9B, meaning 2024’s figure is over 9× the long-term average.
  • Prior to 2024, FDI peaked at $11.6B in 2007, with only three other years, 2008, 2022, and 2023 crossing the $9B mark.
  • In 2011, Egypt recorded –$0.48B in FDI, meaning more foreign investment left the country than came in, largely due to the Arab Spring unrest.
  • The 2005–2010 period was previously Egypt’s strongest run, averaging over $8B annually before political instability triggered sharp declines.
95% of Kenya’s $27.5 billion in FDI came after 2007, with inflows peaking at $2.23 billion in 2011
  • Kenya recorded $27.5B total FDI between 1990 and 2024, with most inflows occurring after 2007.
  • From 1990 to 2006, Kenya averaged just $0.04B annually, a sign of limited foreign investor confidence in early years.
  • A major turnaround began in 2007, with FDI jumping from $0.05B to $0.90B, and peaking at $2.23B in 2011.
  • Between 2007 and 2024, Kenya received over 92% of its total FDI, a sharp shift in its investment profile.
  • FDI has stayed above $1B annually since 2009, signalling consistent investor interest in Kenya’s growing economy.
Rwanda’s FDI has never crossed $1B in any year, peaking at $820M in 2024, with a 35-year total of $6.28B
  • Rwanda attracted a total of $6.28 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) over 35 years, from 1990 to 2024.
  • The highest annual inflow recorded was $820 million in 2024, making it the country’s strongest FDI year yet.
  • Between 2020 and 2024, Rwanda pulled in $2.70 billion, accounting for over 40 percent of its total investment since 1990.
  • From 1990 to 2004, annual FDI barely exceeded $100 million, with several years recording zero inflows.
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Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria lead Africa’s $1.21 trillion cumulative FDI inflows since 1990, with $195B, $151B, and $111B respectively
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  • South Africa follows with $151.0 billion, and Nigeria is third with $110.7 billion.
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  • Morocco and Mozambique are neck-and-neck, with around $58–59 billion each.
  • Ghana and Ethiopia show strong mid-tier performances, both near or above $45 billion.
  • DR Congo, Algeria, and Congo round out the top 10 — all with over $30 billion in long-term FDI.
After peaking at $3.88B in 2019, Ghana’s FDI fell to $1.31B in 2023, a 66% drop in four years
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  • Between 2006 and 2019, Ghana consistently attracted over $1 billion annually, with nine of those years surpassing $3 billion.
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