Government debt, % of GDP (2025)
59.3 %
Owed abroad by the government, US$ billion (2024)
8.9
Largest creditor: World Bank-IDA, % of foreign public debt
26.0 %
Owed to China, % of foreign public debt
4.1 %
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | Benin | Middle African country |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 21.0 | 32.1 |
| 2011 | 21.9 | 28.4 |
| 2012 | 19.5 | 26.4 |
| 2013 | 18.5 | 31.1 |
| 2014 | 22.3 | 36.4 |
| 2015 | 30.9 | 44.1 |
| 2016 | 35.9 | 45.9 |
| 2017 | 39.4 | 48.0 |
| 2018 | 40.8 | 49.2 |
| 2019 | 40.4 | 53.9 |
| 2020 | 46.1 | 56.7 |
| 2021 | 55.6 | 57.2 |
| 2022 | 59.7 | 59.5 |
| 2023 | 61.3 | 60.9 |
| 2024 | 60.5 | 56.8 |
| 2025 | 59.3 | 53.2 |
| 2026 | 58.1 (partial) | 52.5 (partial) |
| 2027 | 56.5 (partial) | 54.2 (partial) |
| 2028 | 54.7 (partial) | 53.0 (partial) |
| 2029 | 53.1 (partial) | 53.1 (partial) |
| 2030 | 51.7 (partial) | 51.7 (partial) |
| 2031 | 50.3 (partial) | 50.7 (partial) |
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Part | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Development banks and funds | 45.4 % | 45% |
| Other governments | 29.7 % | 30% |
| Bondholders | 24.9 % | 25% |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | World Bank-IDA | Bondholders | France | Germany | African Development Bank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 383 | Not published | 12 | Not published | 200 |
| 2011 | 402 | Not published | 10 | Not published | 220 |
| 2012 | 435 | Not published | 9 | Not published | 233 |
| 2013 | 557 | Not published | 8 | Not published | 307 |
| 2014 | 622 | Not published | 6 | Not published | 312 |
| 2015 | 680 | Not published | 4 | Not published | 311 |
| 2016 | 765 | Not published | 3 | Not published | 337 |
| 2017 | 914 | Not published | 13 | Not published | 430 |
| 2018 | 984 | Not published | 17 | 0 | 438 |
| 2019 | 1,082 | 557 | 22 | 90 | 447 |
| 2020 | 1,309 | 614 | 120 | 98 | 493 |
| 2021 | 1,369 | 1,898 | 151 | 77 | 474 |
| 2022 | 1,555 | 1,788 | 233 | 116 | 479 |
| 2023 | 1,977 | 1,852 | 339 | 711 | 552 |
| 2024 | 2,317 | 2,222 | 933 | 692 | 606 |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Where Benin ranks in Africa
- Government debt to GDP: 23rd highest of 53.
- Total external debt in dollars: 20th largest of 49.
- Compare Benin's debt with its neighbours on the data wall
More on Benin
Method and sources
Debt to GDP is the IMF's general government gross debt, which covers domestic and foreign debt of every level of government. Debt owed abroad by the government and debt it guarantees. Excludes IMF credit and private debt that is not guaranteed. WLD is the total. Creditor names are the World Bank's. Figures checked 24 October 2026.
IMF government debt data · World Bank International Debt Statistics
Frequently asked questions
How much does Benin owe?
Benin government and the debt it guarantees owed $8.9 billion to foreign lenders in 2024, according to the World Bank's International Debt Statistics. Counting domestic debt too, government debt was 59.3% of GDP in 2025, according to the IMF.
Who is Benin's largest creditor?
World Bank-IDA, owed $2.3 billion in 2024, 26% of the government's foreign debt. Next: bondholders (24.9%), France (10.5%) and Germany (7.8%).
How much does Benin owe China?
$365.6 million in 2024, 4.1% of public debt owed abroad, which makes China its 7th largest creditor.
What is Benin's debt to GDP ratio?
59.3% in 2025: general government gross debt as a share of GDP, from the IMF World Economic Outlook. That is the 23rd highest of 53 African countries with a figure.