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South Africa is Africa's largest economy at US$427 billion in 2025
The ten largest African economies by nominal GDP in current US dollars, with South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria at the top, on latest World Bank data.
Updated October 2026 · Data year 2025
Figure 1
The ten largest African economies by nominal GDP in current US dollars, with South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria at the top, on latest World Bank data.
427.2
South Africa · US$ billion
Source: World Bank · 2025 · Figures are nominal GDP in current US dollars for 2025, from the World Bank. The 2025 values are the latest available and some are estimates. Oil exporters and countries with recent currency moves (Nigeria, Egypt, Angola) can shift year to year.
On the latest World Bank figures for 2025, South Africa is again Africa's largest economy at US$427 billion, just ahead of Egypt at US$365 billion and Nigeria at US$291 billion [S1][S2]. Nigeria was the continent's biggest economy for much of the past decade, but a sharp fall in the naira cut its nominal dollar GDP, leaving it third. Algeria sits close behind Nigeria at US$287 billion. The one honest caveat: nominal GDP in US dollars moves with exchange rates as much as with real output, so rankings among the top four are sensitive to currency swings and 2025 values are still partly estimated.
Takeaways
- South Africa leads at US$427 billion in 2025, on World Bank data.
- Egypt (US$365bn) and Nigeria (US$291bn) follow close behind.
- Nigeria's naira devaluation pushed it below South Africa and Egypt.
Sources
- TIER A World Bank, GDP (current US$), NY.GDP.MKTP.CD, World Development Indicators (2025). https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/NGA;ZAF;EGY;DZA;ETH/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?format=json&mrnev=1&per_page=50
2025 values (US$): South Africa 427184325997.307, Egypt 365254630179.737, Nigeria 290794361542.112, Algeria 287031225987.736, Ethiopia 126358758448.356. Confirmed for the top three via the same indicator. - TIER A World Bank, GDP (current US$), NY.GDP.MKTP.CD, World Development Indicators (2025). https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/MAR;KEN;AGO;CIV;GHA;TZA;COD/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?format=json&mrnev=1&per_page=50
2025 values (US$): Morocco 182374250612.28, Kenya 135941278878.815, Angola 122174889423.635, Ghana 114209905278.717, Cote d'Ivoire 99773555666.20, plus DR Congo and Tanzania just outside the top ten.