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Countries / Eritrea / Debt
Debt

Eritrea's debt

How much Eritrea owes, to whom, and how that compares with the rest of Africa. From IMF and World Bank figures.

Eritrea's debt at a glance

  • Government debt, % of GDP (2019)

    260.4 %

  • Owed abroad by the government, US$ billion (2024)

    0.6

  • Largest creditor: World Bank-IDA, % of foreign public debt

    70.0 %

  • Owed to China, % of foreign public debt

    0.6 %

Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Eritrea's government debt against the size of its economyGeneral government gross debt, % of GDP. From 2026 the figures are IMF projections.
010020030040020102013201620192022202520282031Eritrea 260.4Middle African country 50…
EritreaMiddle African country010020030040020102015202020252030
View the data as a table
PeriodEritreaMiddle African country
2010201.832.1
2011171.628.4
2012171.626.4
2013232.431.1
2014204.536.4
2015271.444.1
2016251.245.9
2017290.448.0
2018267.149.2
2019260.453.9
2020Not published56.7
2021Not published57.2
2022Not published59.5
2023Not published60.9
2024Not published56.8
2025Not published53.2
2026Not published (partial)52.5 (partial)
2027Not published (partial)54.2 (partial)
2028Not published (partial)53.0 (partial)
2029Not published (partial)53.1 (partial)
2030Not published (partial)51.7 (partial)
2031Not published (partial)50.7 (partial)

Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook. Last checked 24 October 2026.

World Bank-IDA is Eritrea's largest creditorPublic and publicly guaranteed debt owed abroad, US$ million, 2024.
World Bank-IDA70% · development banks and funds407African Development Bank13.7% · development banks and fun…80Italy7.3% · other governments43International Fund forAgricultural Development27United States1.5% · other governments8United Arab Emirates0.9% · other governments5China0.6% · other governments3Saudi Arabia0.5% · other governments3Arab Bank for EconomicDevelopment in Africa (BADEA)3India0.3% · other governments2OPEC Fund for InternationalDevelopment1
World Bank-IDA, 70% · development banks and funds407African Development Bank, 13.7% · development banks…80Italy, 7.3% · other governments43International Fund for Agricultural Development, 4.…27United States, 1.5% · other governments8United Arab Emirates, 0.9% · other governments5China, 0.6% · other governments3Saudi Arabia, 0.5% · other governments3Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA…3India, 0.3% · other governments2OPEC Fund for International Development, 0.2% · dev…1
View the data as a table
ItemDetailValue
World Bank-IDA70% · development banks and funds407
African Development Bank13.7% · development banks and funds80
Italy7.3% · other governments43
International Fund for Agricultural Development4.6% · development banks and funds27
United States1.5% · other governments8
United Arab Emirates0.9% · other governments5
China0.6% · other governments3
Saudi Arabia0.5% · other governments3
Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA)0.5% · development banks and funds3
India0.3% · other governments2
OPEC Fund for International Development0.2% · development banks and funds1

Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Who Eritrea owes, by type of lenderShare of public debt owed abroad, 2024.
100.0total %Development banks and funds89%Other governments11%
100.0total %Development banks and funds89%Other governments11%
View the data as a table
PartValueShare
Development banks and funds88.9 %89%
Other governments11.1 %11%

Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.

How Eritrea's main creditors changedPublic debt owed abroad, US$ million.
020040060020102012201420162018202020222024World Bank-IDA 407African Development Bank…Italy 43International Fund for Ag…United States 8
World Bank-IDAAfrican Development BankItalyInternational Fund for Agricultural DevelopmentUnited States0200400600201020132016201920222024
View the data as a table
PeriodWorld Bank-IDAAfrican Development BankItalyInternational Fund for Agricultural DevelopmentUnited States
2010468106612628
2011478114582628
2012480112583028
2013481105583528
201445395533628
201543392493628
201642091483628
201744595533828
201843492513728
201943292503628
202045096533628
202143789513328
202241682493028
202341983502928
20244078043278

Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Government debt across East Africa% of GDP, latest year before IMF projections.
Eritrea260.4Zambia100.6Malawi96.6Mozambique90.3Mauritius86.8Kenya71.3Rwanda64.7South Sudan64.2Uganda53.2Seychelles51.2Tanzania49.8Madagascar47.7Ethiopia43.3Burundi42.0Zimbabwe38.0Djibouti31.3Comoros30.5
Eritrea260.4Zambia100.6Malawi96.6Mozambique90.3Mauritius86.8Kenya71.3Rwanda64.7South Sudan64.2Uganda53.2Seychelles51.2Tanzania49.8Madagascar47.7Ethiopia43.3Burundi42.0Zimbabwe38.0Djibouti31.3Comoros30.5
View the data as a table
ItemValue
Eritrea260.4
Zambia100.6
Malawi96.6
Mozambique90.3
Mauritius86.8
Kenya71.3
Rwanda64.7
South Sudan64.2
Uganda53.2
Seychelles51.2
Tanzania49.8
Madagascar47.7
Ethiopia43.3
Burundi42.0
Zimbabwe38.0
Djibouti31.3
Comoros30.5

Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Where Eritrea ranks in Africa

More on Eritrea

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 Eritrea owe?

Eritrea government and the debt it guarantees owed $581.9 million to foreign lenders in 2024, according to the World Bank's International Debt Statistics. Counting domestic debt too, government debt was 260.4% of GDP in 2019, according to the IMF.

Who is Eritrea's largest creditor?

World Bank-IDA, owed $407.4 million in 2024, 70% of the government's foreign debt. Next: African Development Bank (13.7%), Italy (7.3%) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (4.6%).

How much does Eritrea owe China?

$3.4 million in 2024, 0.6% of public debt owed abroad, which makes China its 7th largest creditor.

What is Eritrea's debt to GDP ratio?

260.4% in 2019: general government gross debt as a share of GDP, from the IMF World Economic Outlook. That is the 1st highest of 53 African countries with a figure.