Sierra Leone's debt
How much Sierra Leone owes, to whom, and how that compares with the rest of Africa. From IMF and World Bank figures.
Government debt, % of GDP (2025)
51.4 %
Owed abroad by the government, US$ billion (2024)
1.3
Largest creditor: World Bank-IDA, % of foreign public debt
35.2 %
Owed to China, % of foreign public debt
4.4 %
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | Sierra Leone | Middle African country |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 28.9 | 32.1 |
| 2011 | 25.8 | 28.4 |
| 2012 | 24.1 | 26.4 |
| 2013 | 22.3 | 31.1 |
| 2014 | 26.8 | 36.4 |
| 2015 | 28.4 | 44.1 |
| 2016 | 34.7 | 45.9 |
| 2017 | 44.2 | 48.0 |
| 2018 | 44.2 | 49.2 |
| 2019 | 45.3 | 53.9 |
| 2020 | 46.4 | 56.7 |
| 2021 | 47.1 | 57.2 |
| 2022 | 54.0 | 59.5 |
| 2023 | 49.4 | 60.9 |
| 2024 | 47.0 | 56.8 |
| 2025 | 51.4 | 53.2 |
| 2026 | 50.1 (partial) | 52.5 (partial) |
| 2027 | 45.4 (partial) | 54.2 (partial) |
| 2028 | 41.7 (partial) | 53.0 (partial) |
| 2029 | 38.8 (partial) | 53.1 (partial) |
| 2030 | 35.9 (partial) | 51.7 (partial) |
| 2031 | 33.8 (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 | 70.1 % | 70% |
| Other governments | 17.3 % | 17% |
| Other lenders | 12.6 % | 13% |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | World Bank-IDA | Several lenders together | African Development Bank | Islamic Development Bank | Kuwait |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 155 | 225 | 76 | 47 | 24 |
| 2011 | 188 | 221 | 82 | 47 | 27 |
| 2012 | 226 | 223 | 84 | 55 | 29 |
| 2013 | 241 | 209 | 89 | 69 | 33 |
| 2014 | 237 | 209 | 106 | 66 | 32 |
| 2015 | 226 | 207 | 121 | 83 | 32 |
| 2016 | 224 | 207 | 123 | 94 | 47 |
| 2017 | 276 | 193 | 128 | 109 | 52 |
| 2018 | 284 | 193 | 131 | 110 | 61 |
| 2019 | 348 | 187 | 138 | 110 | 64 |
| 2020 | 432 | 179 | 152 | 111 | 62 |
| 2021 | 464 | 168 | 157 | 115 | 63 |
| 2022 | 466 | 165 | 161 | 108 | 57 |
| 2023 | 479 | 165 | 164 | 112 | 70 |
| 2024 | 463 | 165 | 161 | 102 | 64 |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Where Sierra Leone ranks in Africa
- Government debt to GDP: 31st highest of 53.
- Total external debt in dollars: 38th largest of 49.
- Compare Sierra Leone's debt with its neighbours on the data wall
More on Sierra Leone
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 Sierra Leone owe?
Sierra Leone government and the debt it guarantees owed $1.3 billion to foreign lenders in 2024, according to the World Bank's International Debt Statistics. Counting domestic debt too, government debt was 51.4% of GDP in 2025, according to the IMF.
Who is Sierra Leone's largest creditor?
World Bank-IDA, owed $463 million in 2024, 35.2% of the government's foreign debt. Next: Several lenders together (12.6%), African Development Bank (12.3%) and Islamic Development Bank (7.7%).
How much does Sierra Leone owe China?
$57.9 million in 2024, 4.4% of public debt owed abroad, which makes China its 6th largest creditor.
What is Sierra Leone's debt to GDP ratio?
51.4% in 2025: general government gross debt as a share of GDP, from the IMF World Economic Outlook. That is the 31st highest of 53 African countries with a figure.