In 2023, Libya and Algeria topped Africa’s reserves, as Egypt faced decline

  • Libya leads Africa’s reserves with $92.4B, followed by Algeria ($81.2B) and South Africa ($62.5B).
  • Morocco $36.3B reserve places it fourth among African nations.
  • Egypt’s holds $33.1B, maintaining a strong reserve position.
  • Angola ($13.9B), Tunisia ($9.24B), Kenya ($7.34B), Mauritius ($7.25B), and DR Congo ($5.1B) round out the top 10.
  • Libya and Algeria’s strong reserves highlight North Africa’s dominance in the Black continent reserve.

North African nations dominate the rankings of Africa’s total reserves, which include gold, while sub-Saharan Africa’s reserves remain relatively low.
Libya, for example, leads the continent with an impressive $92.4 billion in reserves, solidifying its position as the country with the highest reserves in Africa. Following closely behind are Algeria with $81.2 billion and South Africa at $62.5 billion. Morocco comes in fourth with $36.3 billion in reserves, further cementing North Africa’s dominance in the rankings. Egypt also holds a strong position with $33.1 billion.
On the other hand, nations in sub-Saharan Africa, such as Angola ($13.9 billion), Tunisia ($9.24 billion), Kenya ($7.34 billion), Mauritius ($7.25 billion), and DR Congo ($5.1 billion), have far smaller reserves.

Source:

World Bank

Period:

2023
HTML code to embed chart
Want a bespoke report?
Reach out
Click to copy HTML embed code
Tags
Related Insights
South African cities dominate in the number of millionaires, with 6 out of the top 10 wealthiest African cities
  • Johannesburg is home to the highest number of millionaires in Africa, with 11,700 individuals.
  • Six out of the top ten wealthiest African cities are located in South Africa.
  • Cairo leads North Africa with 6,800 millionaires, showing its dominance as a financial hub.
  • Nairobi has 4,200 millionaires, making it East Africa’s wealthiest city.
  • Lagos, with 3,600 millionaires, remains West Africa’s wealthiest city.
  • Lifestyle regions, such as the Cape Winelands and the Garden Route, feature prominently, reflecting the importance of property and lifestyle economies.
  • Casablanca, with 2,900 millionaires, underscores Morocco’s rising appeal as a North African wealth centre.
Capital expenditure accounted for 52% of Lagos State's Q1 2025 expenditure
  • Capital expenditure accounted for the largest share of Lagos State’s Q1 2025 spending, at 52%.
  • Overhead costs consumed 22% of the total expenditure.
  • Personnel costs accounted for 18%, reflecting the importance of workforce expenses.
  • Debt servicing made up 5%, indicating relatively low pressure from debt obligations.
  • The balance between recurrent (personnel, overhead, debt, and other recurrent) and capital spending leans heavily towards long-term growth.
Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) constituted 61% of Lagos State’s Q1 2025 total receipts
  • Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) accounted for 61% of Lagos State’s Q1 2025 receipts.
  • VAT was the second-largest funding source, contributing 22%.
  • Loans made up 8% of total inflows for the quarter.
  • Opening balance accounted for 4%, indicating a moderate carryover from the previous year.
South Africa hosts 41,100 millionaires, nearly six times Nigeria’s 7,200 millionaires
  • South Africa dominates with 41,100 millionaires, accounting for more than 1 in 3 African millionaires, far ahead of any other nation.
  • Egypt (14,800) and Morocco (7,500) round out the top three, highlighting North Africa’s wealth concentration.
  • Nigeria (7,200) and Kenya (6,800) confirm West and East Africa’s growing wealth hubs, though still far below South Africa.
  • Mauritius (4,800) and Seychelles (500) rank surprisingly high relative to population size, showing their role as finance and wealth management hubs.
Mauritius leads Africa with 63% millionaire growth while Nigeria declines by 47% over the last decade
  • Mauritius is the fastest-growing hub with a 63% surge in millionaires, highlighting its rising financial services sector and favourable investment climate.
  • Rwanda (+48%) and Morocco (+40%) also show strong upward trends, driven by economic diversification and political stability.
  • Nigeria (-47%), Angola (-36%), and Algeria (-23%) recorded the steepest declines, reflecting oil dependence, currency challenges, and political instability.
  • Africa overall saw a -5% dip, showing that while select countries are thriving, the continent’s wealth distribution has shifted unevenly.
Cape Verde’s FDI averaged over $68M annually over 34 years, with a record $170M in 2008 and a recent 54% drop from 2023 to 2024
  • Cape Verde attracted no foreign direct investment during the early 1990s, signalling limited investor interest at the time.
  • FDI inflows skyrocketed from $130M in 2006 to an all-time high of $170M in 2008, before stabilising above $100M for most of the 2010s.
  • The country experienced large swings, ranging from a high of $150M (2014) to lows of $50M (2020).
  • Despite recovering to $130M in 2023, inflows dropped sharply to $60M in 2024, the weakest figure in over a decade.
POPULAR TOPICS
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Get periodic updates about the African startup space, access to our reports, among others.
Subscribe Here
Subscription Form
A product of Techpoint Africa. All rights reserved