Short-term debt in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Short-term debt was 22.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Short-term debt in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1994–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of exports of goods, services and primary income.
Analysis
The most recent figure for short-term debt in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) is 22.0%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, short-term debt in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 45.3% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 14.0%, in 2011.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 13th out of 32 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Short-term debt in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % of exports of goods, services and primary income | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 37.0% | — |
| 1995 | 41.5% | +12.2% |
| 1996 | 37.9% | -8.7% |
| 1997 | 38.3% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 45.3% | +18.2% |
| 1999 | 36.8% | -18.7% |
| 2000 | 22.5% | -38.9% |
| 2001 | 21.8% | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 22.0% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 20.3% | -7.7% |
| 2004 | 20.3% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 17.7% | -12.7% |
| 2006 | 19.0% | +7.3% |
| 2007 | 17.8% | -6.5% |
| 2008 | 14.7% | -17.2% |
| 2009 | 18.7% | +27.0% |
| 2010 | 17.0% | -9.3% |
| 2011 | 14.0% | -17.4% |
| 2012 | 18.1% | +29.1% |
| 2013 | 18.8% | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 20.1% | +7.1% |
| 2015 | 23.5% | +16.8% |
| 2016 | 24.0% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 25.6% | +6.5% |
| 2018 | 23.7% | -7.2% |
| 2019 | 25.0% | +5.4% |
| 2020 | 29.0% | +16.0% |
| 2021 | 22.7% | -21.9% |
| 2022 | 21.9% | -3.5% |
| 2023 | 21.9% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 22.0% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 39.5% | 36.8% | 45.3% | 6 |
| 2000s | 19.5% | 14.7% | 22.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.0% | 14.0% | 25.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.5% | 21.9% | 29.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- 10 Turkey 46.4% compare
- 11 Egypt 46.3% compare
- 12 Central African Republic 39.3%
- 13 Nigeria 36.2% compare
- 14 South Africa 33.8% compare
- 15 Moldova 32.5% compare
- 16 Cape Verde 32.1% compare
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 short-term debt in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Short-term debt in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 22.0% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest short-term debt recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 45.3% in 1998.
- What is the lowest short-term debt recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.0% in 2011.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for short-term debt?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 13th out of 32 groups with data for 2024.
- Is short-term debt rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. 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 Short-term debt (% of exports of goods, services and primary income). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Short-term external debt is defined as debt that has an original maturity of one year or less. Available data permit no distinction between public and private nonguaranteed short-term debt. Exports of goods, services and primary income is the sum of goods (merchandise) exports, exports of (nonfactor) services and income (factor) receipts.