True! California’s GDP is bigger than all African countries combined

Claim: Recently, a Facebook page claimed that the gross domestic product (GDP) of California, a state in the United States, is larger than that of the combined GDP of all African countries. 

Verdict: True! Data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) showed that California’s GDP for 2024 stood at $4 trillion, while that of the African region was $2.7 trillion.

Full Text

Economic indicators are crucial in measuring the growth and development of countries globally.

Therefore, it is unsurprising that citizens note key economic indicators such as gross domestic product (GDP), inflation, and unemployment rate. Recently, the IMF released its World Economic Outlook database, which prompted conversations on social media about the figures and what they mean for individual countries.

Comparisons between countries’ GDP, nominal and purchasing power parity (PPP), are often accompanied by analyses of the resources available to each nation and whether these resources are effectively utilised to improve their economic standing.

For instance, a Facebook user, Joseph Kalimbwe, posted that all 54 African countries have a lower GDP than California in the United States. He also asserted that California, a single state in the US, is richer than the entire African continent. 

In his post, he further claimed that the Democratic Republic of Congo has natural resources worth $24 trillion but noted that most of its mining is done by companies in Canada and Australia.

“a) The Economy of California in the US is $4.1 trillion in Gross State Product. b) The Economy of Africa is $3.1 trillion in Gross Domestic Product. The US State of California is richer than 54 African countries combined. But DRC alone has $24 trillion in minerals beneath its soil, much of which goes to mining companies in Canada and Australia,” he wrote.

The claim has been repeatedly shared on Facebook, with users offering various opinions on the reasons behind the situation. While some attribute it to poor leadership, others blame Africa’s overdependence on the West, pointing to the continent’s continued reliance despite having gained independence decades ago.

Given the claim’s topicality and virality and its potential to shape future narratives, DUBAWA investigated it to ascertain its veracity.

Verification 

In Apr 2025, the IMF released the World Economic Outlook report, which captured analysis and forecasts of the global economy in the near and medium term. The report projected a slowdown in global growth with intensifying downside risks, citing trade tensions and policy shifts.

DUBAWA consulted the IMF database, which reported that the African region’s nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2024 was $2.7 trillion. South Africa led with $400 billion, followed by Egypt with $383 billion, Algeria with $264 billion, Nigeria with $187 billion, and Morocco with $155 billion.

In contrast, the United States recorded a nominal GDP of $29.18 trillion in 2024, accounting for most of the world’s total nominal GDP.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) in the United States provided a detailed breakdown of each state’s contribution to this figure. According to the data, California had a Gross State Product (GSP) of $4.1 trillion in 2024, making it the state with the highest GDP in the country.

When compared with the IMF data on African countries’ nominal GDP, California’s economy alone is larger than the combined GDP of all 54 African nations. It also surpasses the GDP of several advanced economies, including Japan.

Investopedia defines nominal GDP as the total market value of all goods and services produced within a country’s borders over a specific period, measured at current prices. It differs from real GDP, which adjusts for inflation and reflects changes in price levels over time.

Why is California’s GDP bigger?

California is the most significant contributor to national manufacturing and agricultural value. 

The San Francisco Bay Area, in California, is also known as a global centre of technological innovation. It houses many major technology, software, and internet companies.

On the other hand, African countries are bedeviled with myriad challenges that leave their economies crippled despite their abundant natural resources.

Political crisis, insurgency, and high dependence on primary commodities expose the economies to global pressure, among the many other challenges the continent faces.

Conclusion

The claim that California, in the United States of America, has a nominal GDP bigger than 54 African countries combined is true.