Economic growth: a sustained but mixed pace in the third quarter of 2025

Economic growth: a sustained but mixed pace in the third quarter of 2025
(DR)
© (DR)

Over the first nine months of 2025, real GDP grew by 3.7%, driven by the tertiary sector (4.9%) and the secondary sector (2.5%), while the primary sector remained modest (1.6%). In nominal terms, growth reached 6.4%, with a GDP deflator of 2.6%. Final consumption increased by 5.1% and investments by 9.0%, but foreign trade deteriorated: exports decreased by 7.3%, imports increased by 10.3%, resulting in a trade deficit of 3.4% of GDP.

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The national economy maintained a solid growth trajectory over the first nine months of 2025, despite contrasting sectoral dynamics. According to the National Institute of Statistics, “real Gross Domestic Product recorded a growth of 3.7% compared to the same period in 2024,” supported by the good performance of most sectors of activity.
On the supply side, the primary sector showed a moderate progression of 1.6%, penalized by a 2.0% decline in export agriculture. In contrast, other segments resisted better: food agriculture grew by 3.7%, livestock, fishing, and hunting by 4.0%, while forestry gained 2.2%.
The secondary sector recorded a growth of 2.5%, despite a marked decline in extractive industries, particularly hydrocarbons (-6.4%). This underperformance was offset by the vitality of building and public works (+6.0%) and water and sanitation production (+7.2%).
The tertiary sector remains the main driver of activity with a 4.9% increase. This dynamic is based on all its components, notably non-market public administration services (+5.7%), transport (+5.1%), financial services (+10.8%), and information and communication technologies (+8.2%).
In terms of prices, nominal growth reached 6.4%, reflecting differentiated inflationary pressure across sectors. The primary sector recorded the most significant increase (+9.6%), driven by rising agricultural prices, particularly food crops (+12.6%) and export crops (+10.2%). Conversely, crude oil prices continued their decline (-11.8%).
Domestic demand remains the main growth driver, with final consumption up 5.1% and investments up 9.0%, supported by both public and private sectors.
In contrast, foreign trade weighs on the overall balance. “The pace of foreign trade […] contributes to widening the trade balance deficit,” emphasizes the National Institute of Statistics. The contraction of exports combined with the strong increase in imports brought the trade deficit to 3.4% of GDP, confirming the persistent vulnerability of foreign trade.

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