External debt stocks in Benin
Benin: External debt stocks was 66.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
External debt stocks in Benin, 1970–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GNI.
Analysis
In 2024, external debt stocks in Benin stood at 66.6%.
That represents a change of up 3.3% on the previous year and up 141.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks in Benin peaked at 88.4% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 11.6%, in 1972.
That places Benin 31st out of 121 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
External debt stocks in Benin, year by year
| Year | % of GNI | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 13.0% | — |
| 1971 | 15.4% | +17.9% |
| 1972 | 11.6% | -24.6% |
| 1973 | 17.9% | +54.8% |
| 1974 | 19.5% | +8.9% |
| 1975 | 17.6% | -9.7% |
| 1976 | 20.2% | +14.6% |
| 1977 | 28.3% | +40.1% |
| 1978 | 30.6% | +7.9% |
| 1979 | 38.2% | +25.1% |
| 1980 | 33.9% | -11.4% |
| 1981 | 42.2% | +24.6% |
| 1982 | 60.1% | +42.5% |
| 1983 | 73.8% | +22.8% |
| 1984 | 74.7% | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 88.1% | +18.1% |
| 1986 | 79.3% | -10.1% |
| 1987 | 81.1% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 73.3% | -9.6% |
| 1989 | 73.1% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 57.8% | -20.9% |
| 1991 | 58.8% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 73.3% | +24.7% |
| 1993 | 56.9% | -22.5% |
| 1994 | 88.4% | +55.5% |
| 1995 | 65.7% | -25.7% |
| 1996 | 59.5% | -9.4% |
| 1997 | 61.4% | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 60.1% | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 42.6% | -29.1% |
| 2000 | 42.9% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 44.6% | +4.0% |
| 2002 | 44.4% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 32.1% | -27.7% |
| 2004 | 32.4% | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 28.6% | -11.6% |
| 2006 | 17.9% | -37.5% |
| 2007 | 18.5% | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 17.4% | -5.6% |
| 2009 | 20.8% | +19.3% |
| 2010 | 24.1% | +16.0% |
| 2011 | 20.5% | -14.8% |
| 2012 | 24.1% | +17.5% |
| 2013 | 24.7% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 27.6% | +11.7% |
| 2015 | 31.8% | +15.4% |
| 2016 | 35.5% | +11.6% |
| 2017 | 38.8% | +9.3% |
| 2018 | 48.5% | +25.0% |
| 2019 | 48.5% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 54.7% | +12.9% |
| 2021 | 59.7% | +9.1% |
| 2022 | 63.2% | +5.9% |
| 2023 | 64.4% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 66.6% | +3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 21.2% | 11.6% | 38.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 68.0% | 33.9% | 88.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 62.5% | 42.6% | 88.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.0% | 17.4% | 44.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.4% | 20.5% | 48.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.7% | 54.7% | 66.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More economy & growth data for Benin
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.42 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 6.03 Percent per annum (2029)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 9.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.1466 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 243.18 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), annual 9.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 86.7 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 143,771 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 17.12 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.5006 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks in Benin?
- External debt stocks in Benin was 66.6% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 88.4% in 1994.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.6% in 1972.
- How does Benin rank for external debt stocks?
- Benin ranks 31st out of 121 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 141.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of External debt stocks (% of GNI). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total external debt stocks to gross national income. Total external debt is debt owed to nonresidents repayable in currency, goods, or services. Total external debt is the sum of public, publicly guaranteed, and private nonguaranteed long-term debt, use of IMF credit, and short-term debt. Short-term debt includes all debt having an original maturity of one year or less and interest in arrears on long-term debt. GNI (formerly GNP) is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad.