Cabo Verde’s remittance inflows rose to $0.36bn in 2025.

Higher is better. Higher is better because remittances bring in foreign currency that households can spend and save without taking on debt, and a rising figure points to a diaspora that remains connected and employed. The latest figure is $0.36bn for 2025, up from $0.33bn a year earlier, a rise of 6.8%. That is the highest level since 2016, and it sits well above the low of $0.21bn recorded in 2016. Across the window the series has climbed from its floor to its ceiling.

Why it matters. For Cabo Verdean households, $0.36bn a year is a steady source of income that helps pay for food, housing, school fees and healthcare, particularly for families with relatives in Europe or North America. For the state, the inflow adds to foreign currency earnings in an island economy that imports most of what it consumes. Its size also ties household budgets to jobs and wages in the countries where the diaspora lives.