Iran vs Nigeria: Government debt
Government debt: 31.2% of GDP in Iran in 2024 and 36.1% of GDP in Nigeria in 2025, by IMF estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Nigeria, by 8.1 percentage points, or 1.26 times that in Iran.
IranNigeria
Watch it change on the map% of GDP · IMF
Latest figures
% of GDP · IMF
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iran | 31.2 2024 | 10.9 | — | 43.4 2031 |
| Nigeria | 36.1 2025 | 14.9 | 114 of 149 | 31.9 2031 |
What the numbers say
- Nigeria has been higher since 2023, when it overtook Iran.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Iran at 43.4% of GDP and Nigeria at 31.9% of GDP in 2031.
Every year
% of GDP · IMF
| Year | Iran | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 35.6 | 36.1 |
| 2024 | 31.2 | 39.3 |
| 2023 | 29.6 | 36.3 |
| 2022 | 34.5 | 29.8 |
| 2021 | 39.9 | 26.6 |
| 2020 | 47.1 | 25.7 |
| 2019 | 44.6 | 21.4 |
| 2018 | 41.6 | 20.4 |
| 2017 | 43.2 | 18 |
| 2016 | 46 | 17.4 |
| 2015 | 32.1 | 14.9 |
| 2014 | 10.9 | 15.8 |
| 2013 | 10.2 | 13 |
| 2012 | 11.8 | 12.5 |
| 2011 | 10.6 | 12.4 |
| 2010 | 12.8 | 6.7 |
| 2009 | 11.5 | 6.1 |
| 2008 | 10.6 | 5.2 |
| 2007 | 13.5 | 5.8 |
| 2006 | 15.2 | 6.7 |
| 2005 | 18.3 | 13.5 |
| 2004 | 21.1 | 25.2 |
| 2003 | 22 | 29.9 |
| 2002 | 23.4 | 30.7 |
| 2001 | 21 | 37.7 |
| 2000 | 18.2 | 40.9 |
| 1999 | 22.2 | 46.1 |
| 1998 | 29.6 | 15.8 |
| 1997 | 30.9 | 17.1 |
| 1996 | 29.3 | 17.9 |
| 1995 | – | 24.2 |
| 1994 | – | 39.7 |
| 1993 | – | 50.4 |
| 1992 | – | 49.8 |
| 1991 | – | 53.2 |
| 1990 | – | 50.9 |
- 12.3Projected
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
| Year | Iran | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 39.1 | 34.7 |
| 2027 | 40.2 | 32.8 |
| 2028 | 40.8 | 32.9 |
| 2029 | 41.7 | 32.5 |
| 2030 | 42.7 | 32.2 |
| 2031 | 43.4 | 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