Benin vs Nigeria: Government debt
Government debt in 2025: 59.3% of GDP in Benin and 36.1% of GDP in Nigeria, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Benin, by 23.2 percentage points, or 1.64 times that in Nigeria.
BeninNigeria
Watch it change on the map% of GDP · IMF
Latest figures
% of GDP · IMF
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benin | 59.3 2025 | 30.9 | 58 of 149 | 50.3 2031 |
| Nigeria | 36.1 2025 | 14.9 | 114 of 149 | 31.9 2031 |
What the numbers say
- Benin has been higher since 2005, when it overtook Nigeria.
- In 2025, Benin ranked 58 and Nigeria ranked 114 of 149 countries, counting from the highest.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Benin at 50.3% of GDP and Nigeria at 31.9% of GDP in 2031.
Every year
% of GDP · IMF
| Year | Benin | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 59.3 | 36.1 |
| 2024 | 60.5 | 39.3 |
| 2023 | 61.3 | 36.3 |
| 2022 | 59.7 | 29.8 |
| 2021 | 55.6 | 26.6 |
| 2020 | 46.1 | 25.7 |
| 2019 | 40.4 | 21.4 |
| 2018 | 40.8 | 20.4 |
| 2017 | 39.4 | 18 |
| 2016 | 35.9 | 17.4 |
| 2015 | 30.9 | 14.9 |
| 2014 | 22.3 | 15.8 |
| 2013 | 18.5 | 13 |
| 2012 | 19.5 | 12.5 |
| 2011 | 21.9 | 12.4 |
| 2010 | 21 | 6.7 |
| 2009 | 18.8 | 6.1 |
| 2008 | 18.3 | 5.2 |
| 2007 | 14.3 | 5.8 |
| 2006 | 8.4 | 6.7 |
| 2005 | 27 | 13.5 |
| 2004 | 21.5 | 25.2 |
| 2003 | 23.4 | 29.9 |
| 2002 | 30.8 | 30.7 |
| 2001 | 38 | 37.7 |
| 2000 | 39.6 | 40.9 |
| 1999 | 39.4 | 46.1 |
| 1998 | 53.6 | 15.8 |
| 1997 | – | 17.1 |
| 1996 | – | 17.9 |
| 1995 | – | 24.2 |
| 1994 | – | 39.7 |
| 1993 | – | 50.4 |
| 1992 | – | 49.8 |
| 1991 | – | 53.2 |
| 1990 | – | 50.9 |
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
| Year | Benin | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 58.1 | 34.7 |
| 2027 | 56.5 | 32.8 |
| 2028 | 54.7 | 32.9 |
| 2029 | 53.1 | 32.5 |
| 2030 | 51.7 | 32.2 |
| 2031 | 50.3 | 31.9 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the government owes, as a share of the economy’s yearly output.
- Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
- The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 149 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time