Kenya’s IMF debt surges by 1,109%, rising from SDR 249 million in March 2020 to over SDR 3 billion in March 2025

Key Takeaways:

  • Between 2016 and 2020, Kenya's debt to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) declined steadily by 59%, from SDR 609.8 million to SDR 249.9 million.
  • This downward trend reversed dramatically after 2020, with public debt rising to SDR 3.02 billion by March 2025.
  • The most significant annual increase occurred between 2020 and 2021, when debt jumped by 178%.
  • The lowest recorded debt level during the study period was in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it fell to approximately SDR 250 million.
  • Kenya’s IMF debt grew more than elevenfold (1,109%) from its 2020 low to its 2025 peak.

Between 2016 and 2025, Kenya underwent a profound transformation in its debt position with the International Monetary Fund. From 2016 to 2020, the country managed to steadily reduce its IMF obligations, bringing the debt down from SDR 609.8 million to just SDR 249.9 million.

However, starting in 2021, the trend shifted dramatically. IMF debt began to rise sharply, more than doubling within a year. This upward trajectory persisted through subsequent years, culminating in an outstanding debt of SDR 3.02 billion as of March 2025.

Source:

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Period:

2016 - 2025
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