According to fDiMarkets, in 2011, Africa was the fasting growing global region in terms of number of inward FDI projects, with more than 600 companies investing $80bn of capital across 850 projects, creating more than 160,000 new jobs. This represented a 27% increase in the number of FDI projects in the region compared to 2010. This was significantly more than the 5% growth witnessed globally. However, Africa still only accounts for less than 5% of FDI projects recorded globally. 

Average capital expenditure per FDI project in Africa remained the highest in the world in 2011, standing at more than $95m. This was a drop from 2010, when the average stood at more than $130m. In 2011, the global average capital expenditure per project was $50m, with FDI projects into North America proving to be the least capital-intensive.

Average jobs created per FDI project in Africa stood at just under 190 in 2011. This was higher than the global average but less than in Latin America and Caribbean, Asia-Pacific and eastern Europe.

Investors into Africa in 2011 included Portugal-based financial services firm Banco BPI, US-based software company Hewlett-Packard, Spain-based retail company Inditex, South Korea-based consumer electronics company Samsung, Saudi Arabia-based financial services firm Dallah Albaraka Group and India-based IT services company Spanco.