External debt stocks in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): External debt stocks was 49.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
External debt stocks in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1985–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GNI.
Analysis
In 2024, external debt stocks in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) stood at 49.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.4% on the previous year and up 72.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 58.2% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 21.7%, in 2008.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 40 years of available data.
External debt stocks in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % of GNI | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 38.7% | — |
| 1986 | 43.1% | +11.6% |
| 1987 | 45.7% | +6.0% |
| 1988 | 43.4% | -5.1% |
| 1989 | 43.2% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 42.3% | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 41.4% | -2.2% |
| 1992 | 45.7% | +10.5% |
| 1993 | 48.4% | +5.9% |
| 1994 | 58.2% | +20.1% |
| 1995 | 54.0% | -7.2% |
| 1996 | 52.2% | -3.2% |
| 1997 | 49.1% | -6.0% |
| 1998 | 52.3% | +6.7% |
| 1999 | 49.9% | -4.7% |
| 2000 | 47.6% | -4.7% |
| 2001 | 49.4% | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 52.0% | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 43.7% | -16.0% |
| 2004 | 37.4% | -14.2% |
| 2005 | 29.8% | -20.3% |
| 2006 | 22.7% | -23.9% |
| 2007 | 22.9% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 21.7% | -5.4% |
| 2009 | 25.6% | +17.9% |
| 2010 | 25.3% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 25.1% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 27.2% | +8.3% |
| 2013 | 28.2% | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 28.9% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 32.4% | +12.2% |
| 2016 | 38.2% | +18.0% |
| 2017 | 41.2% | +7.8% |
| 2018 | 41.0% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 42.5% | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 47.3% | +11.3% |
| 2021 | 44.7% | -5.5% |
| 2022 | 42.5% | -4.9% |
| 2023 | 46.3% | +8.8% |
| 2024 | 49.7% | +7.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 42.8% | 38.7% | 45.7% | 5 |
| 1990s | 49.4% | 41.4% | 58.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.3% | 21.7% | 52.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.0% | 25.1% | 42.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.1% | 42.5% | 49.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 4.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.147 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 245.62 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 7.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.8257 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 1,380 current US$ per person (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 8.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), per capita 1,655 current US$ per person (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9901 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 3.8 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- External debt stocks in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 49.7% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 58.2% in 1994.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.7% in 2008.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for external debt stocks?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 1st out of 12 groups with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 72.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 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.