Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lesotho
Lesotho: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was -5.77 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lesotho, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded -5.77 million BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 54.1% on the previous year and down 105.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lesotho peaked at 113.22 million BoP, current US$ in 2015 and was at its lowest, -25.65 million BoP, current US$, in 2023.
That places Lesotho 178th out of 201 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 132,000 BoP, current US$ | 0 BoP, current US$ | 440,000 BoP, current US$ | 5 |
| 1980s | 6.82 million BoP, current US$ | 2.25 million BoP, current US$ | 21.35 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.81 million BoP, current US$ | 7.99 million BoP, current US$ | 43.27 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.98 million BoP, current US$ | 11.01 million BoP, current US$ | 91.35 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.35 million BoP, current US$ | 9.51 million BoP, current US$ | 113.22 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -6.03 million BoP, current US$ | -25.65 million BoP, current US$ | 28.00 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More economy & growth data for Lesotho
- Final consumption expenditure 133.2% (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added 2.48 billion constant LCU (2024)
- Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure 96.8% (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure 3.43 billion current US$ (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure 61.32 billion current LCU (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure 2.81 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure 1.9% (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added 387.86 million constant 2015 US$ (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added 288.56 million current US$ (2024)
- Gross national expenditure 3.69 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lesotho?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lesotho was -5.77 million BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 113.22 million BoP, current US$ in 2015.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -25.65 million BoP, current US$ in 2023.
- How does Lesotho rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Lesotho ranks 178th out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 105.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in the reporting economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. Data are in current U.S. dollars.