Currencies of Africa
Every African country and its national currency, including the major shared currencies (CFA franc zones) and exchange context.
African Currencies at a Glance
Africa has more than 40 distinct national currencies. Three notable exceptions are the shared currencies: the West African CFA franc (XOF) used by eight West African nations, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) used by six Central African states, and the South African rand (ZAR) which circulates alongside national currencies in Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia (the Common Monetary Area).
Complete List of African Currencies
| Country | Currency | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Algerian Dinar (DZD) | DZD |
| Angola | Angolan Kwanza (AOA) | AOA |
| Benin | West African CFA franc (XOF) | XOF |
| Botswana | Botswana Pula (BWP) | BWP |
| Burkina Faso | West African CFA franc (XOF) | XOF |
| Burundi | Burundian Franc (BIF) | BIF |
| Cameroon | Central African CFA franc (XAF) | XAF |
| Cape Verde | Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE) | CVE |
| Central African Republic | Central African CFA franc (XAF) | XAF |
| Chad | Central African CFA franc (XAF) | XAF |
| Comoros | Comorian Franc (KMF) | KMF |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Congolese Franc (CDF) | CDF |
| Djibouti | Djiboutian Franc (DJF) | DJF |
| Egypt | Egyptian Pound (EGP) | EGP |
| Equatorial Guinea | Central African CFA franc (XAF) | XAF |
| Eritrea | Eritrean Nakfa (ERN) | ERN |
| Eswatini | Swazi Lilangeni (SZL) | SZL |
| Ethiopia | Ethiopian Birr (ETB) | ETB |
| Gabon | Central African CFA franc (XAF) | XAF |
| Gambia | Gambian Dalasi (GMD) | GMD |
| Ghana | Ghanaian Cedi (GHS) | GHS |
| Guinea | Guinean Franc (GNF) | GNF |
| Guinea-Bissau | West African CFA franc (XOF) | XOF |
| Ivory Coast | West African CFA franc (XOF) | XOF |
| Kenya | Kenyan Shilling (KES) | KES |
| Lesotho | Lesotho Loti (LSL) | LSL |
| Liberia | Liberian Dollar (LRD) | LRD |
| Libya | Libyan Dinar (LYD) | LYD |
| Madagascar | Malagasy Ariary (MGA) | MGA |
| Malawi | Malawian Kwacha (MWK) | MWK |
| Mali | West African CFA franc (XOF) | XOF |
| Mauritania | Mauritanian Ouguiya (MRU) | MRU |
| Mauritius | Mauritian Rupee (MUR) | MUR |
| Morocco | Moroccan Dirham (MAD) | MAD |
| Mozambique | Mozambican Metical (MZN) | MZN |
| Namibia | Namibian Dollar (NAD) | NAD |
| Niger | West African CFA franc (XOF) | XOF |
| Nigeria | Nigerian Naira (NGN) | NGN |
| Republic of the Congo | Central African CFA franc (XAF) | XAF |
| Rwanda | Rwandan Franc (RWF) | RWF |
| Senegal | West African CFA franc (XOF) | XOF |
| Seychelles | Seychellois Rupee (SCR) | SCR |
| Sierra Leone | Sierra Leonean Leone (SLL) | SLL |
| Somalia | Somali Shilling (SOS) | SOS |
| South Africa | South African Rand (ZAR) | ZAR |
| South Sudan | South Sudanese Pound (SSP) | SSP |
| Sudan | Sudanese Pound (SDG) | SDG |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | São Tomé Dobra (STN) | STN |
| Tanzania | Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) | TZS |
| Togo | West African CFA franc (XOF) | XOF |
| Tunisia | Tunisian Dinar (TND) | TND |
| Uganda | Ugandan Shilling (UGX) | UGX |
| Western Sahara | Moroccan Dirham (MAD) | MAD |
| Zambia | Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) | ZMW |
| Zimbabwe | Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) | ZWL |
Shared Currencies in Africa
West African CFA Franc (XOF)
Used by 8 West African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo. The XOF is issued by the BCEAO (Central Bank of West African States), pegged to the euro at a fixed rate of 655.957 XOF per EUR.
Central African CFA Franc (XAF)
Used by 6 Central African countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo. The XAF is issued by the BEAC (Bank of Central African States), also pegged to the euro at 655.957 XAF per EUR. Despite sharing the same name and value, XOF and XAF banknotes are not interchangeable.
Common Monetary Area (CMA)
The South African rand (ZAR) circulates as legal tender in Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia alongside the lilangeni (SZL), loti (LSL) and Namibian dollar (NAD) — all pegged 1:1 to the rand.
The Eco — A Common West African Currency?
ECOWAS member states have for two decades discussed launching a common currency called the Eco to replace national currencies and the CFA franc across both anglophone and francophone West Africa. Repeatedly delayed (most recently from 2027), the project remains aspirational.
African Currency Trivia
- The Tunisian dinar is one of the few currencies that legally cannot be taken out of the country.
- The Libyan dinar is divided into 1,000 dirhams — most currencies use 100 subunits.
- The Mauritanian ouguiya and the Malagasy ariary are the only modern currencies not based on a decimal system.
- The Zimbabwean dollar has been revalued multiple times after hyperinflation; the country also officially uses the US dollar.