Country intelligence / Middle East & Africa
South Africa
Platinum, coal and power reform. World Bank data, latest year available for each figure.
- GDP
- US$427 billion2025
- Real GDP growth
- 1.1%2025
- Inflation
- 3.2%2025
- FDI, net inflows
- -0.5% of GDP2025
- Population
- 64.7 million2025
- Access to electricity
- 90.2%2024
Real GDP growth
% change a year
Inflation
Consumer prices, % a year
Foreign direct investment
Net inflows, % of GDP
Governance
World Bank governance scores, 0 to 100, latest year
- Regulatory qualityHow well the government writes and applies rules that let private business develop54
- Rule of lawConfidence that contracts are enforced, property is protected and courts work59
- Control of corruptionHow far public power is kept from being used for private gain45
- Government effectivenessQuality of public services and of policy implementation52
- Political stabilityLikelihood of political instability or politically motivated violence59
What the numbers say
Each line is calculated from the published data above. The thresholds are explained in our editorial policy. This is not investment advice.
Strengths
- Consumer inflation was 3.2% in 2025.
Watch points
No indicator falls below our watch threshold.
Where demand comes from
- 90% of the population had access to electricity in 2024, leaving room for grid extension and off-grid power.
- Mineral rents were 3.8% of GDP in 2021, so mining equipment, power for mines and logistics are relevant markets.
- Renewables supplied 9.7% of final energy use in 2021, so there is room to add clean generation.
Resource and energy profile
Rents are the value of production above extraction cost, as a share of GDP.
Premium
South Africa analyst dossier
For a specific project or tender in South Africa: the fiscal and regulatory regime that applies, the permitting path and its real timelines, CAPEX and OPEX benchmarks from comparable projects, the main buyers and counterparties, and a risk register with mitigants. Prepared to order.
Compare with Middle East & Africa
All countriesSource: World Bank Data360 API: World Development Indicators (WB_WDI) and Worldwide Governance Indicators (WB_WGI, governance score 0-100). Governance scores use the World Bank's 0–100 scale. Downloaded 12 Nov 2026.