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Indicators · Growth and investment

Gross capital formation

Spending on fixed assets such as buildings, machinery and infrastructure, plus changes in inventories, as a share of GDP.

Why it matters

Shows how much the economy is building for the future. Fast-growing emerging markets usually invest 25% of GDP or more.

Read with care

Large one-off mining or gas projects can lift the ratio for a few years.

Source

World Bank

% of GDP. 51 African countries, 1990 to 2025.

Investment rate: highest in Tanzania, lowest in Zimbabwe

Gross capital formation, % of GDP. Latest year available, mostly 2025. 16 of 16 countries have data.

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Source: World Bank· Get the data (Professional)·dotzedw Insights Centre

Ranked: investment rateiWhy it mattersShows how much the economy is building for the future. Fast-growing emerging markets usually invest 25% of GDP or more.

Click a country to highlight it.

0%10%20%30%40%Tanzania40.7%DRC31.7%Lesotho31.2%Botswana29.2%Mozambique24.2%Madagascar24.1%Zambia23.8% (2024)Mauritius19.9%Seychelles18.7%Namibia18.7%Malawi15.7%Eswatini15.0% (2024)South Africa13.9%Comoros11.8%Angola10.6% (2024)Zimbabwe8.8% (2024)median 19.3%
dotzedw Insights Centre
How spread out SADC is
Median 19.3%Lowest: Zimbabwe 8.8%Highest: Tanzania 40.7%

Over time

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Gross capital formation against income per person

Each bubble is a SADC country, sized by population. Dashed lines mark the SADC medians. Countries far from the pattern are worth a closer look.

0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%$1,000$3,000$10kGDP per person, US$ (log scale)Investment rateDRCTanzaniaSouth AfricaAngolaMozambiqueMalawiZambiaZimbabwe
Source: World Bank, World Bank·dotzedw Insights Centre

Table

The same figures as the map, for screen readers and copying.
RankCountryValueYearFive-year changeGradeDetails
1Tanzania40.7%2025up 1.9 point since 2020A
2DRC31.7%2025up 9.8 points since 2020A
3Lesotho31.2%2025up 5.0 points since 2020A
4Botswana29.2%2025down 3.6 points since 2020A
5Mozambique24.2%2025down 20.6 points since 2020A
6Madagascar24.1%2025up 6.4 points since 2020A
7Zambia23.8%2024down 15.5 points since 2019A
8Mauritius19.9%2025up 1.9 point since 2020A
9Seychelles18.7%2025down 2.6 points since 2020A
10Namibia18.7%2025up 4.7 points since 2020A
11Malawi15.7%2025down 1.0 point since 2020A
12Eswatini15.0%2024down 1.3 point since 2019A
13South Africa13.9%2025up 1.5 point since 2020A
14Comoros11.8%2025little changed since 2020A
15Angola10.6%2024down 13.9 points since 2019A
16Zimbabwe8.8%2024up 2.3 points since 2019A