External health expenditure (% of current health expenditure) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: External health expenditure (% of current health expenditure) was 15.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
External health expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
In 2023, external health expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 15.4%. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 14.7% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external health expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 15.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.2%, in 2001.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 10th of 42 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
External health expenditure (% of current health expenditure) in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.2% | — |
| 2001 | 6.2% | -14.6% |
| 2002 | 7.4% | +19.7% |
| 2003 | 8.5% | +14.6% |
| 2004 | 9.3% | +10.5% |
| 2005 | 12.9% | +37.9% |
| 2006 | 11.6% | -9.8% |
| 2007 | 11.8% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 12.5% | +6.1% |
| 2009 | 13.5% | +8.0% |
| 2010 | 13.4% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 13.6% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 13.3% | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 14.5% | +9.6% |
| 2014 | 12.9% | -11.4% |
| 2015 | 12.4% | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 12.6% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 12.3% | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 12.7% | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 13.9% | +9.4% |
| 2020 | 13.8% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 13.4% | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 13.5% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 15.4% | +14.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 10.1% | 6.2% | 13.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.2% | 12.3% | 14.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.0% | 13.4% | 15.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0282 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 2.8 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.0287 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0016 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external health expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- External health expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa was 15.4% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest external health expenditure recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 15.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest external health expenditure recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.2% in 2001.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for external health expenditure?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 10th out of 42 groups with data for 2023.
- Is external health expenditure rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of External health expenditure (% of current health expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of current health expenditures funded from external sources. External sources compose of direct foreign transfers and foreign transfers distributed by government encompassing all financial inflows into the national health system from outside the country. External sources either flow through the government scheme or are channeled through non-governmental organizations or other schemes.