20 Weakest Currencies of Africa in 2025

In 2025 many African currencies remain under pressure from inflation, political instability, commodity-price swings and weak foreign-exchange reserves. Below is an up-to-date, search-friendly guide to the 20 weakest African currencies in 2025, why they’re weak, and what that means for residents, businesses and investors.

The “weakest” currencies here are ranked by how little one unit of the currency is worth in US dollars (i.e., the lower the unit value vs USD, the “weaker” it appears). Small island economies, conflict-affected states and commodity-dependent countries dominate the list. Several authoritative trackers and market summaries in 2025 place currencies such as the São Tomé & Príncipe dobra, Sierra Leonean leone and Guinean franc among the lowest-valued in Africa.

Why a “weak currency” matters

A weak currency increases the cost of imports, raises inflation for consumers, blows up foreign-currency debt burdens and can reduce purchasing power. But a depreciated currency can also help exporters (if they have the supply capacity) and make tourism cheaper. Structural problems — high inflation, weak FX reserves, falling commodity receipts, or political conflict — are common reasons for persistent weakness.

The 20 weakest African currencies in 2025

Below is a curated list (in no strict absolute order across all sources) of 20 African currencies that, in 2025, are widely reported as among the continent’s weakest — followed by a short explanation for each.

1. São Tomé & Príncipe Dobra (STN) — Extremely low unit value vs USD; tiny economy, high external dependence and low FX turnover make the dobra one of the lowest-valued African currencies.

2. Sierra Leonean Leone (SLL) — Repeated depreciation episodes, inflationary pressure and limited FX inflows.

3. Guinean Franc (GNF) — Political instability and mining revenue volatility have weakened the franc.

4. Malagasy Ariary (MGA) — Low per-unit value and vulnerability to import shocks in a largely import-dependent economy.

5. Congolese Franc (CDF) — Despite mineral wealth, insecurity and governance issues keep the franc weak and volatile.

6. Ethiopian Birr (ETB) — Macroeconomic imbalances and high inflation pressures; recent years have seen significant depreciation episodes.

7. South Sudanese Pound (SSP) — Conflict-related oil disruptions and triple-digit inflation in past waves have devastated the pound.

8. Ugandan Shilling (UGX) — Persistent depreciation relative to major currencies driven by import demand and limited FX buffers.

9. Malawian Kwacha (MWK) — Currency pressure from import dependence and fiscal constraints.

10. Nigerian Naira (NGN) — Structural FX shortages and long-running policy challenges keep the naira low in nominal terms against the USD.

11. Angolan Kwanza (AOA) — Heavy reliance on oil exports creates vulnerability to price swings and depreciation risk.

12. Mozambican Metical (MZN) — Legacy of debt crises, low FX reserves and import dependence.

13. Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) — Debt distress and commodity dependence (copper) generate volatility and weakness.

14. Somali Shilling (SOS) — Longstanding state fragility and limited formal FX markets keep the shilling weak.

15. Sudanese Pound (SDG) — Political upheaval, economic isolation and disruptions to oil and agricultural exports.

16. Guinean-Bissau/Small island currencies (e.g., old-exchange variants) — Small volume, limited FX liquidity; small economies typically have very low nominal unit values.

17. Rwandan Franc (RWF) — While more stable than some peers, it remains low in unit value versus USD because of the continent’s wide range of currency scales.

18. Liberian Dollar (LRD) — Dollarization pressures, political fragility and weak FX reserves weigh on the LRD.

19. Burundian Franc (BIF) — Economic isolation, poor export volumes and inflationary tendencies weaken the franc.

20. Central African CFA variants (where applicable low nominal values) — Some CFA-zone prices appear large in local units against the USD despite relative stability; inclusion here reflects low per-unit value rather than instability in some cases.

Note: various outlets rank these currencies slightly differently depending on whether the ranking uses official exchange rates, parallel-market rates, or nominal unit value per USD. For a snapshot that compares unit value against the dollar, see recent compilations and trackers.

Deeper look — grouped drivers of currency weakness

1. Small economy / small FX turnover

Tiny economies (island states, micro-states) often have currencies with extremely low unit value simply because local monetary units are scaled that way. São Tomé & Príncipe is the most prominent example in 2025 — its small GDP and limited FX markets mean a very large number of dobras are needed to buy one USD.

2. Conflict and political instability

Countries with active conflict or severe political risk — like South Sudan and parts of the Sahel — see FX receipts collapse, exports grind to a halt, and central banks lose the ability to defend the currency. Those dynamics drive rapid depreciation and high inflation.

3. Commodity dependence

Oil, copper, cocoa and other commodity exporters can be hurt badly when global prices fall or when production is disrupted. Angola and Zambia illustrate how commodity cycles transmit into currency weakness.

4. Policy and FX shortages

When central banks face dwindling FX reserves, they limit access to dollars, creating parallel markets and widening spreads. Nigeria and other countries have experienced this problem in 2024–2025.

What this means for people and businesses in those countries

• Imported goods become more expensive — households pay more for fuel, medicine and machinery.

• Foreign-denominated debt gets costlier — governments and firms with dollar debt face heavier repayment burdens.

• Remittances gain purchasing power locally — diaspora dollars stretch further at home (short term relief).

• Tourism becomes cheaper for foreign visitors — weakened local units lower costs for tourists, which can be a silver lining if infrastructure and safety permit.

Practical tips for travellers, businesses and investors

• Travellers: check parallel-market rates vs official rates; carry a mix of USD and a local payment option.

• Businesses: hedge foreign-currency exposures where possible; negotiate contracts in stable currencies if feasible.

• Investors: consider country-specific risks (political, commodity, debt) before making currency bets; look for credible IMF-backed programs or structural reforms as signs of potential stabilization.

How to follow updates (short list of reliable trackers)

• Financial news wires (Reuters, Bloomberg) for macro events and devaluations.

• Regional market trackers such as African-Markets (live FX tables) for daily rates.

• Independent currency-ranking articles and forex blogs for comparative snapshots (useful but verify with primary sources).

Final thoughts on African currencies 

Weak currencies in Africa in 2025 reflect real economic problems — conflict, commodity cycles, and weak policy buffers — but they are not destiny. Fiscal reforms, better FX management and investment in export capacity can stabilize rates over time. If you want a downloadable snapshot of the 20 currencies above with the latest USD exchange figures I used as reference, tell me and I’ll prepare a compact table with sources and live-check pointers. For now, bookmark the sources cited here and watch commodity and political news — those two categories explain most currency moves across Africa.