Total debt service in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Total debt service was 4.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Total debt service in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1978–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GNI.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total debt service in Sub-Saharan Africa is 4.8%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 32 years on record.
The figure is up 15.5% on the previous year and up 112.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total debt service in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 4.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 2010.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 8th of 32 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 32 years of available data.
Total debt service in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of GNI | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 2.4% | — |
| 1994 | 3.6% | +49.6% |
| 1995 | 4.1% | +13.8% |
| 1996 | 3.9% | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 4.2% | +7.4% |
| 1998 | 4.0% | -4.5% |
| 1999 | 4.0% | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 3.6% | -9.9% |
| 2001 | 3.7% | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 3.8% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 2.8% | -25.2% |
| 2004 | 2.3% | -19.1% |
| 2005 | 2.3% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 2.7% | +19.2% |
| 2007 | 2.3% | -16.9% |
| 2008 | 1.7% | -24.9% |
| 2009 | 1.6% | -3.8% |
| 2010 | 1.3% | -17.8% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 1.8% | +32.2% |
| 2013 | 2.0% | +9.0% |
| 2014 | 2.3% | +15.5% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | +53.6% |
| 2016 | 3.5% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | -4.6% |
| 2018 | 4.4% | +31.3% |
| 2019 | 4.0% | -9.5% |
| 2020 | 3.9% | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 4.0% | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 4.0% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 4.2% | +5.0% |
| 2024 | 4.8% | +15.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1 |
| 1990s | 4.0% | 3.6% | 4.2% | 6 |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 1.6% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.7% | 1.3% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.2% | 3.9% | 4.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 5 Papua New Guinea 20.4% compare
- 6 Zambia 17.3% compare
- 7 Kazakhstan 17.3% compare
- 8 Georgia 15.2% compare
- 9 Montenegro 15.0% compare
- 10 Lao People's Democratic Republic 13.8% compare
- 11 Serbia 12.2% compare
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 8.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 420.94 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2516 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 466.42 current US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2788 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2438 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 386.71 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 5.43 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 4.68 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total debt service in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Total debt service in Sub-Saharan Africa was 4.8% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest total debt service recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 4.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest total debt service recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 2010.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for total debt service?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 8th out of 32 groups with data for 2024.
- Is total debt service rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 112.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of Total debt service (% of GNI). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Total debt service is the sum of principal repayments and interest actually paid in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt, interest paid on short-term debt, and repayments (repurchases and charges) to the IMF.