Egypt accounts for one-third of over SDR 26 billion owed by Africa’s top 10 IMF debtors

Key Takeaways:

  • Egypt leads African nations in IMF debt, with SDR 8.63 billion in outstanding credit.
  • The combined debt of these 10 countries represents 24% of the IMF’s total outstanding credit globally.
  • East African nations, Kenya and Ethiopia, hold a combined SDR 4.5 billion in IMF credit.
  • West Africa is strongly represented with Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, and Cameroon owing more than SDR 7.4 billion collectively.

As of March 31, 2025, Egypt is the largest African debtor to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), with outstanding credit totalling approximately SDR 8.63 billion—representing nearly one-third of the continent’s top 10 IMF debts. Kenya ranks second with SDR 3.02 billion, followed by Angola and Côte d'Ivoire, each with over SDR 2.6 billion.

Ghana's debt approaches SDR 2.5 billion, while the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Morocco each owe between SDR 1.2-1.8 billion. Cameroon and Senegal complete the top ten, with each country's debt exceeding SDR 1 billion.

Source:

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Period:

March 31, 2025
HTML code to embed chart
Want a bespoke report?
Reach out
Tags
Related Insights

Lagos’s domestic debt is 7.5% (₦72.6 billion) higher than the South South’s
  • The South-West recorded the highest domestic debt stock of approximately ₦1.43 trillion, largely powered by Lagos State’s ₦1.04 trillion debt.
  • The South-South ranks second with ₦968 billion, led by Rivers State’s ₦364.4 billion, reflecting major infrastructure and fiscal commitments.
  • The North-Central (₦520 billion) and North-East (₦450 billion) show moderate borrowing compared to their southern counterparts.
  • The North-West records the smallest combined debt stock at ₦223 billion, indicating a relatively conservative borrowing posture.

Enugu - South-East’s top domestic debtor - owes more than Imo, Abia, and Anambra combined
  • Enugu State holds the highest domestic debt in the South-East at ₦180.5 billion.
  • Imo ranks second with ₦97.9 billion, about 54% lower than Enugu’s figure.
  • At ₦15.8 billion, Ebonyi remains the least indebted in the region, maintaining a conservative borrowing stance.
  • Combined, the five South-East states (Enugu, Imo, Abia, Anambra, and Ebonyi) owe roughly ₦371 billion domestically as of Q2 2025.

Rivers State's domestic debt is 3.5% (₦12.4b) more than the combined debt of Delta and Cross River
  • Bayelsa holds the lowest debt with ₦65.9 billion.
  • Rivers’ ₦364.4 billion domestic debt is almost six times Bayelsa’s total, highlighting major fiscal disparities.
  • Delta (₦204.7 billion) and Cross River (₦147.3 billion) remain among the region’s more indebted states
  • Regional debt approaches ₦1 trillion: The six South-South states collectively hold an estimated ₦968 billion in domestic debt as of Q2 2025.

Jigawa recorded the lowest domestic debt in North-West Nigeria at ₦852 million in Q2 2025
  • The seven North-Western states collectively owed about ₦223.4 billion in domestic debt as of Q2 2025, according to DMO data.
  • Kano State ranked highest with ₦56.9 billion, accounting for roughly 25% of the zone’s total debt.
  • Jigawa remains the least indebted in the region and in the entire country, with only ₦852 million.
  • Moderate debt spread: While Kano, Zamfara, and Sokoto carried the largest debt loads, the remaining states maintained relatively conservative borrowing patterns.

Kogi and Nasarawa post lowest domestic debt in North Central Nigeria at ₦18.8 billion and ₦23.9 billion, respectively
  • The six North Central states collectively hold ₦449.4 billion in domestic debt as of Q2 2025, according to DMO data.
  • Kogi and Nasarawa lead in fiscal control with ₦18.8 billion and ₦23.9 billion, respectively
  • Both states record the lowest debt profiles in the region. Niger State’s ₦141.5 billion debt makes it the region’s most indebted, accounting for nearly one-third of the total.
  • The debt gap between Kogi (lowest) and Niger (highest) stands at over ₦123 billion, highlighting stark differences in fiscal management and borrowing capacity across the zone.

Lagos accounts for over 70% of South-West Nigeria’s domestic debt, hitting ₦1.04 trillion in mid-2025
  • Lagos dominates regional debt with a domestic debt stock of ₦1.04 trillion, over 70% of the South-West’s total subnational debt.
  • Lagos’s debt is six times larger than that of Ogun (₦162.9 billion), the region’s next most indebted state.
  • At ₦10.6 billion, Ondo maintains the lowest domestic debt profile in the region, reflecting relatively modest borrowing.
  • The combined domestic debt of the six South-West states (Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo) stood at ₦1.43 trillion as of Q2 2025.

POPULAR TOPICS
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Get periodic updates about the African startup space, access to our reports, among others.
Subscribe Here
Subscription Form

A product of Techpoint Africa. All rights reserved