Just Five Countries Are Responsible for Half of Africa’s GDP

Africa’s GDP stands at $2.8 trillion in 2024, the combined economic output of 1.4 billion people. But not all of that productivity is distributed equally.

This map highlights the five countries whose combined economic output equals that of the rest of the continent. Data is sourced from the International Monetary Fund, last updated April 2024. Figures for Western Sahara and Eritrea have not been included due to unavailability.

Dividing Africa in Two Economic Halves

The Big Five African economies—South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, and Ethiopia—have a combined GDP of $1.4 trillion. This bloc consists of 569 million people, or 44% of the continent’s population.