Burkina Faso's debt
How much Burkina Faso owes, to whom, and how that compares with the rest of Africa. From IMF and World Bank figures.
Government debt, % of GDP (2025)
53.2 %
Owed abroad by the government, US$ billion (2024)
5.1
Largest creditor: World Bank-IDA, % of foreign public debt
51.1 %
Owed to China, % of foreign public debt
1.9 %
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | Burkina Faso | Middle African country |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 23.7 | 32.1 |
| 2011 | 24.5 | 28.4 |
| 2012 | 25.2 | 26.4 |
| 2013 | 25.9 | 31.1 |
| 2014 | 26.1 | 36.4 |
| 2015 | 31.3 | 44.1 |
| 2016 | 32.9 | 45.9 |
| 2017 | 33.9 | 48.0 |
| 2018 | 38.1 | 49.2 |
| 2019 | 41.7 | 53.9 |
| 2020 | 45.0 | 56.7 |
| 2021 | 55.5 | 57.2 |
| 2022 | 59.2 | 59.5 |
| 2023 | 56.8 | 60.9 |
| 2024 | 57.2 | 56.8 |
| 2025 | 53.2 | 53.2 |
| 2026 | 51.0 (partial) | 52.5 (partial) |
| 2027 | 50.9 (partial) | 54.2 (partial) |
| 2028 | 51.0 (partial) | 53.0 (partial) |
| 2029 | 50.4 (partial) | 53.1 (partial) |
| 2030 | 50.0 (partial) | 51.7 (partial) |
| 2031 | 49.7 (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 | 89.8 % | 90% |
| Other governments | 10.2 % | 10% |
| Other lenders | 0.1 % | 0% |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | World Bank-IDA | African Development Bank | Islamic Development Bank | West African Development Bank - BOAD | France |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 776 | 373 | 191 | 53 | 75 |
| 2011 | 837 | 422 | 204 | 63 | 84 |
| 2012 | 898 | 484 | 208 | 80 | 100 |
| 2013 | 924 | 516 | 203 | 83 | 101 |
| 2014 | 949 | 475 | 181 | 130 | 83 |
| 2015 | 1,038 | 465 | 160 | 130 | 79 |
| 2016 | 1,171 | 468 | 174 | 134 | 77 |
| 2017 | 1,334 | 545 | 197 | 166 | 76 |
| 2018 | 1,458 | 547 | 178 | 209 | 103 |
| 2019 | 1,673 | 560 | 245 | 228 | 110 |
| 2020 | 2,014 | 652 | 260 | 267 | 168 |
| 2021 | 2,146 | 616 | 436 | 293 | 170 |
| 2022 | 2,187 | 587 | 447 | 334 | 194 |
| 2023 | 2,417 | 613 | 496 | 405 | 220 |
| 2024 | 2,616 | 619 | 521 | 379 | 219 |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Where Burkina Faso ranks in Africa
- Government debt to GDP: 27th highest of 53.
- Total external debt in dollars: 23rd largest of 49.
- Compare Burkina Faso's debt with its neighbours on the data wall
More on Burkina Faso
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 Burkina Faso owe?
Burkina Faso government and the debt it guarantees owed $5.1 billion to foreign lenders in 2024, according to the World Bank's International Debt Statistics. Counting domestic debt too, government debt was 53.2% of GDP in 2025, according to the IMF.
Who is Burkina Faso's largest creditor?
World Bank-IDA, owed $2.6 billion in 2024, 51.1% of the government's foreign debt. Next: African Development Bank (12.1%), Islamic Development Bank (10.2%) and West African Development Bank - BOAD (7.4%).
How much does Burkina Faso owe China?
$98.8 million in 2024, 1.9% of public debt owed abroad, which makes China its 8th largest creditor.
What is Burkina Faso's debt to GDP ratio?
53.2% in 2025: general government gross debt as a share of GDP, from the IMF World Economic Outlook. That is the 27th highest of 53 African countries with a figure.