Top 10 African countries with the smallest government debt mid-2024

The World Bank's Africa Pulse report highlights the top 10 African countries with the lowest government debt as of mid-2024, led by the Democratic Republic of Congo (21.7% of GDP).

Other countries with low debt-to-GDP ratios include Botswana (24.5%), Equatorial Guinea (35.3%), and Ethiopia (36.3%).

Maintaining low debt enables these nations to attract foreign investment, enhance currency stability, and allocate more resources to critical sectors like healthcare and infrastructure. In contrast, countries with higher debt face economic challenges and risk falling into debt dependence.