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Debt

Senegal's debt

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

Senegal's debt at a glance
  • Government debt, % of GDP (2025)

    127.7 %

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

    25.1

  • Largest creditor: Bondholders, % of foreign public debt

    19.7 %

  • Owed to China, % of foreign public debt

    8.8 %

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

Senegal's government debt against the size of its economyGeneral government gross debt, % of GDP. From 2026 the figures are IMF projections.
05010015020102013201620192022202520282031Senegal 127.7Middle African country 50…
SenegalMiddle African country05010015020102015202020252030
View the data as a table
PeriodSenegalMiddle African country
201034.632.1
201132.928.4
201234.526.4
201336.931.1
201442.436.4
201544.544.1
201647.545.9
201761.148.0
201861.549.2
201979.553.9
202090.556.7
202198.957.2
2022106.959.5
2023120.660.9
2024136.156.8
2025127.753.2
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.

Bondholders is Senegal's largest creditorPublic and publicly guaranteed debt owed abroad, US$ million, 2024.
Bondholders19.7% · bondholders4,954World Bank-IDA17.6% · development banks and fun…4,422France14% · other governments3,515China8.8% · other governments2,220African Development Bank7.2% · development banks and funds1,812Islamic Development Bank5.2% · development banks and funds1,308United Kingdom3.6% · other governments907Japan2.5% · other governments627Cote D`Ivoire, Republic Of2.5% · other governments623United States2.3% · other governments567West African Development Bank- BOAD516African Export-Import Bank1.6% · other governments403
Bondholders, 19.7% · bondholders4,954World Bank-IDA, 17.6% · development banks and funds4,422France, 14% · other governments3,515China, 8.8% · other governments2,220African Development Bank, 7.2% · development banks…1,812Islamic Development Bank, 5.2% · development banks…1,308United Kingdom, 3.6% · other governments907Japan, 2.5% · other governments627Cote D`Ivoire, Republic Of, 2.5% · other governments623United States, 2.3% · other governments567West African Development Bank - BOAD, 2.1% · develo…516African Export-Import Bank, 1.6% · other governments403
View the data as a table
ItemDetailValue
Bondholders19.7% · bondholders4,954
World Bank-IDA17.6% · development banks and funds4,422
France14% · other governments3,515
China8.8% · other governments2,220
African Development Bank7.2% · development banks and funds1,812
Islamic Development Bank5.2% · development banks and funds1,308
United Kingdom3.6% · other governments907
Japan2.5% · other governments627
Cote D`Ivoire, Republic Of2.5% · other governments623
United States2.3% · other governments567
West African Development Bank - BOAD2.1% · development banks and funds516
African Export-Import Bank1.6% · other governments403
European Investment Bank1.4% · development banks and funds352
Israel1.3% · other governments319
Germany1.1% · other governments265
India0.9% · other governments218
Spain0.8% · other governments209
Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA)0.8% · development banks and funds206
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)0.8% · development banks and funds190
International Fund for Agricultural Development0.7% · development banks and funds177
Kuwait0.7% · other governments175
Czechia0.7% · other governments166
Korea, Republic of0.6% · other governments150
Italy0.5% · other governments129
Several lenders together0.5% · other lenders125
Saudi Arabia0.5% · other governments119
Turkiye0.4% · other governments107
South Africa0.4% · other governments104
OPEC Fund for International Development0.3% · development banks and funds83
Africa Finance Corporation0.2% · other governments52
Nordic Development Fund0.1% · development banks and funds37
Austria0.1% · other governments23
Belgium0% · other governments8
United Arab Emirates0% · other governments4
Brazil0% · other governments3

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

Who Senegal owes, by type of lenderShare of public debt owed abroad, 2024.
100.0total %Other governments44%Development banks and funds36%Bondholders20%Other lenders1%
100.0total %Other governments44%Development banks and funds36%Bondholders20%Other lenders1%
View the data as a table
PartValueShare
Other governments43.5 %44%
Development banks and funds36.3 %36%
Bondholders19.7 %20%
Other lenders0.5 %1%

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

How Senegal's main creditors changedPublic debt owed abroad, US$ million.
02,0004,0006,00020102012201420162018202020222024Bondholders 4,954World Bank-IDA 4,422France 3,515China 2,220African Development Bank…
BondholdersWorld Bank-IDAFranceChinaAfrican Development Bank02,0004,0006,000201020132016201920222024
View the data as a table
PeriodBondholdersWorld Bank-IDAFranceChinaAfrican Development Bank
20102001,023228184324
20115001,187171210398
20124841,326334302485
20134951,460323335567
20149311,504331360531
20158861,598444504504
20168741,670475902563
20172,0251,9996111,143713
20184,1512,0708381,478799
20194,1222,6571,1181,719970
20204,1583,1021,8571,7811,287
20214,2353,2571,9581,9401,404
20224,1183,6612,1712,0961,466
20234,1864,3573,2972,2541,799
20244,9544,4223,5152,2201,812

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

Government debt across West Africa% of GDP, latest year before IMF projections.
Senegal127.7Cabo Verde115.4Guinea-Bissau75.1Gambia73.7Togo64.9Benin59.3Côte d'Ivoire57.1Liberia55.1Burkina Faso53.2Sierra Leone51.4Ghana48.8Niger45.5Mauritania40.4Mali40.3Guinea36.3Nigeria36.1
Senegal127.7Cabo Verde115.4Guinea-Bissau75.1Gambia73.7Togo64.9Benin59.3Côte d'Ivoire57.1Liberia55.1Burkina Faso53.2Sierra Leone51.4Ghana48.8Niger45.5Mauritania40.4Mali40.3Guinea36.3Nigeria36.1
View the data as a table
ItemValue
Senegal127.7
Cabo Verde115.4
Guinea-Bissau75.1
Gambia73.7
Togo64.9
Benin59.3
Côte d'Ivoire57.1
Liberia55.1
Burkina Faso53.2
Sierra Leone51.4
Ghana48.8
Niger45.5
Mauritania40.4
Mali40.3
Guinea36.3
Nigeria36.1

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

Where Senegal ranks in Africa

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 Senegal owe?

Senegal government and the debt it guarantees owed $25.1 billion to foreign lenders in 2024, according to the World Bank's International Debt Statistics. Counting domestic debt too, government debt was 127.7% of GDP in 2025, according to the IMF.

Who is Senegal's largest creditor?

Bondholders, the investors who hold its foreign bonds, owed $5 billion in 2024, 19.7% of the government's foreign debt. Next: World Bank-IDA (17.6%), France (14%) and China (8.8%).

How much does Senegal owe China?

$2.2 billion in 2024, 8.8% of public debt owed abroad, which makes China its 4th largest creditor.

What is Senegal's debt to GDP ratio?

127.7% in 2025: general government gross debt as a share of GDP, from the IMF World Economic Outlook. That is the 4th highest of 53 African countries with a figure.