Portal of Public Use Datasets on Sub-Saharan Africa

This data portal was created by the NBER Africa Project, co-directed by Sebastian Edwards, Simon Johnson, and David N. Weil, as a way to systematize public-use data on Sub-Saharan Africa. There are hundreds of datasets available on the internet but no easy way to find them, or to know at a glance what they contain.

This portal categorizes datasets with tags for easy searching. For example, if you select "Botswana" and "governance" then click search, datasets with both of those tags will appear in the results. For convenience, tags are sorted by type, source, keyword, and country.

By type:
By source:
By keyword:
By country:


By type: DemographicDevelopmentGovernance/institutionsMacroeconomicsNationalSocial indicators

By source: MultilateralNon-profitOtherThink tank

By keyword: G-20GDPHIV/AIDSMDGsNational Statistical OfficePPPSMEaccountabilityagricultural technologyagricultureaidbirth ratecapacity buildingchild laborchildrencitizenshipcivil libertiescivil societycolonialcommoditiescommunicationconditional cash transferconflictcorruptioncreditcrisisculturecurrencydebtdecentralizationdemocracydewormingdirect investmentdisabilitydiseasesdrugseconomiceconomicseffectivenessefficiencyelectionsemissionsemploymentempowermentenergyenforcemententrepreneurshipenvironmentequalityethnicityexchangeexchange rateexpendituresexternalfamilyfarmingfertilityfertilizerfinancefinancial marketsfiscalfood securityforeign exchangefreedomfuelgasgendergovernment financesgrowthharmonizationharvestinghealthhousinghuman developmenthuman rightsimmigrationincomeindicatorsinequalityinformalityinformationinfrastructureinnovationinstitutioninsuranceinterest rateinternational investment positioninvestment climateirrigationjournalknowledgelaborlabor forcelandlawlife expectancyliteracyloansmalariamanagementmanufacturingmarketmicrofinancemigrationminingmobilemonetarymoney supplymortalitynational accountsnatural resourcesnutritionoilpeacepolicypoliticalpolitical economypolitical theorypopulationpovertypreventionpricespropertyprosperityprovisionpublicpublic awarenesspublic goodspublic sectorremittancesreservesresourcerightsrisksrule of lawsanitationsavingssciencesecuritiessecurityservice deliverysettlementssexual behaviorsocial changesocial protectionsocial securitysocietysurveillancesustainable developmenttarifftechnologytradetransparencytransportationtuberculosisurbanizationvocational educationwaterworker productivity

By country: AngolaBeninBotswanaBurkina FasoBurundiCameroonCape VerdeCentral African RepublicChadComorosCongo, Dem. Rep.Congo, Rep.Cote d'IvoireDjiboutiEgyptEritreaEthiopiaGabonGambia, TheGhanaGuineaGuinea-BissauKenyaLesothoLiberiaMadagascarMalawiMaliMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMozambiqueNamibiaNigerNigeriaRwandaSao Tome and PrincipeSenegalSeychellesSierra LeoneSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSudanSwazilandTanzaniaTogoUgandaZambiaZimbabwe

This portal is a continuous work in progress. Suggestions of datasets to add are welcome and encouraged. Please email africa@nber.org.