Nigeria vs Zambia: Government debt
Government debt in 2025: 36.1% of GDP in Nigeria and 100.6% of GDP in Zambia, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Zambia, by 64.5 percentage points, or 2.79 times that in Nigeria.
NigeriaZambia
Watch it change on the mapChange since 2000, percentage points · IMF
Latest figures
% of GDP · IMF
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | 36.1 2025 | 14.9 | 114 of 149 | 31.9 2031 |
| Zambia | 100.6 2025 | 61.9 | 13 of 149 | 56.7 2031 |
What the numbers say
- Zambia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2000.
- In 2025, Nigeria ranked 114 and Zambia ranked 13 of 149 countries, counting from the highest.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Nigeria at 31.9% of GDP and Zambia at 56.7% of GDP in 2031.
Every year
% of GDP · IMF
| Year | Nigeria | Zambia |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 36.1 | 100.6 |
| 2024 | 39.3 | 125.5 |
| 2023 | 36.3 | 136.8 |
| 2022 | 29.8 | 99.5 |
| 2021 | 26.6 | 111 |
| 2020 | 25.7 | 140 |
| 2019 | 21.4 | 103.3 |
| 2018 | 20.4 | 81.2 |
| 2017 | 18 | 66.6 |
| 2016 | 17.4 | 61.2 |
| 2015 | 14.9 | 61.9 |
| 2014 | 15.8 | 33.9 |
| 2013 | 13 | 25.9 |
| 2012 | 12.5 | 24.9 |
| 2011 | 12.4 | 20.8 |
| 2010 | 6.7 | 18.9 |
| 2009 | 6.1 | 20.5 |
| 2008 | 5.2 | 19.2 |
| 2007 | 5.8 | 21.9 |
| 2006 | 6.7 | 25 |
| 2005 | 13.5 | 75.8 |
| 2004 | 25.2 | 129.9 |
| 2003 | 29.9 | 159.5 |
| 2002 | 30.7 | 180.2 |
| 2001 | 37.7 | 210.2 |
| 2000 | 40.9 | 261 |
| 1999 | 46.1 | – |
| 1998 | 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 | Nigeria | Zambia |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 34.7 | 82.1 |
| 2027 | 32.8 | 77 |
| 2028 | 32.9 | 72.3 |
| 2029 | 32.5 | 67.2 |
| 2030 | 32.2 | 61.9 |
| 2031 | 31.9 | 56.7 |
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