South Africa’s GDP revised to 8,040 billion rand
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Club of Mozambique
Illustrative image · RDNE Stock project · Pexels · Licence PexelsStatistics South Africa’s revision of the national accounts puts nominal GDP for 2025 at 8,040 billion rand, about 5% higher than the previous estimate of 7,640 billion. The reassessment, which includes activities that were previously poorly measured, widens the gap with Nigeria, whose nominal GDP was 441,500 billion naira, or 328 billion dollars, according to South Africa’s statistics agency.
South Africa’s nominal gross domestic product (GDP) for 2025 is now estimated at 8,040 billion rand, or about 483 billion dollars, compared with 7,640 billion previously. Statistics South Africa, the national statistics agency, announced the revision on Thursday, according to Reuters.
The reassessment, which increases the measure of South Africa’s economy by nearly 5%, is based on a change in the base year used for calculations, from 2015 to 2022. It also includes activities that were previously poorly or not at all accounted for, including electricity generated by businesses and households, illegal mining and app-based transport services.
All ten monitored sectors recorded higher output, with the largest increases in mining, finance and trade. Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa’s second-largest economy, had nominal GDP of 441,500 billion naira, or 328 billion dollars, in 2025, according to Reuters.
Johann Els, chief economist at financial services group PSG, believes the revision will make South Africa’s public debt-to-GDP ratio appear more favourable. The government is seeking to reduce this indicator, Reuters added.
