Nigeria has repaid $12.56 billion of its external debt in 15 years
Nigeria repaid an average of $368m in external debt every year between 2008 and 2017. In 2018, the payments increased by 217% to $1.47b from $464m in 2017, then dropped by 9.4% in 2019, and has since been on the rise. Here are Nigeria's external debt repayments since 2008.
With an impressive 20.1% CAGR, the Industry (including construction) has experienced the fastest expansion, more than doubling its contribution to GDP over the period.
Services remains the largest contributor to GDP, but its growth at 14.6% CAGR is being outpaced by Industry, signalling an evolving economic structure.
Agriculture’s 11.2% CAGR shows steady growth, but its share of GDP is shrinking compared to the industrial and service sectors.
The rapid growth in Industry reflects Tanzania’s shift towards manufacturing, construction, and infrastructure development.
Unlike decades ago, when agriculture dominated, today’s GDP contributions are more balanced between Services, Industry, and Agriculture, reducing reliance on any single sector.
With 57.50% inflation, Zimbabwe’s economy is experiencing an extreme price surge, making it the most inflation-affected country in Africa.
At 34.80%, Nigeria is battling one of its worst inflation crises in decades, severely impacting food prices, transportation, and living costs.
The fact that seven out of ten countries on this list have inflation rates that double or even quadruple the African average shows the depth of the inflation crisis.
While their inflation rates (between 16% and 24%), as seen in Ghana, Ethiopia, Zambia, and the Congo, are lower than the top three, they still exceed the sustainable threshold for economic stability.
Debt servicing costs have grown significantly over the years, from ₦400 billion in 2010 to an estimated ₦11.8 trillion in 2024 — a nearly 30-fold increase in just 15 years.
Between 2010 and 2024, Nigeria has spent ₦45.57 trillion on servicing its debt, demonstrating the enormity of its financial obligations.
The year 2024 stands out as the most expensive year yet, with ₦11.8 trillion spent on debt servicing — a jump of over 37% compared to 2023's ₦8.6 trillion.
While debt service expenditures grew gradually in the early 2010s, the most rapid increases occurred after 2019, with spending surging from ₦2.4 trillion in 2019 to ₦8.6 trillion in 2023.
From 2019 to 2024, debt servicing costs rose by almost 392%, showcasing how Nigeria’s debt burden has amplified in a short period.
This steep rise in debt servicing diverts resources from critical areas such as infrastructure, health, and education, hindering overall development.
Some organisations project that Nigeria's 2025 inflation rate will be lower than 2024's 33.2%.
Projections for 2025 range from the AfDB's optimistic 20.7% to Meristem's bearish 33.99%, reflecting variations in the expected average annual inflation rate.
International organisations have more optimistic projections on Nigeria's average inflation rate in 2025 compared to local organisations.
Niger’s 9.9% GDP growth in 2024 was the highest among African nations
At 7.0%, Rwanda remained one of Africa’s most consistent high-growth economies.
Despite being Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria’s 2.9% GDP growth is modest compared to smaller, more agile economies, signalling potential challenges in leveraging its vast resources.
The contrast between Niger’s 9.9% growth and Nigeria’s 2.9% highlights how smaller nations can outperform larger ones.