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MacroNigeria

Government debt in Nigeria

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

Nigeria's government debt is 36.10 % — #32 of 125 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

36.10%

Checked 24 Oct 2026Period 2025

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (general government gross debt, % of GDP)

The central government owes about 0.4 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in Nigeria over time

53.20 %29.20 %5.20 %53.20 % · 19915.20 % · 20081990: 50.90 %1991: 53.20 %1992: 49.80 %1993: 50.40 %1994: 39.70 %1995: 24.20 %1996: 17.90 %1997: 17.10 %1998: 15.80 %1999: 46.10 %2000: 40.90 %2001: 37.70 %2002: 30.70 %2003: 29.90 %2004: 25.20 %2005: 13.40 %2006: 6.70 %2007: 5.80 %2008: 5.20 %2009: 6.10 %2010: 6.70 %2011: 12.40 %2012: 12.50 %2013: 13.00 %2014: 15.80 %2015: 14.90 %2016: 17.40 %2017: 18.00 %2018: 20.40 %2019: 21.40 %2020: 25.70 %2021: 26.60 %2022: 29.80 %2023: 36.30 %2024: 39.30 %2025: 36.10 %19902008202536.10 %
36 official observations, 1990 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#32 of 125
lower is better
Ranked behind
74 %
93 of 125 countries
Latest move
▼ 3.20 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
17.10 pp
peak 53.20 % in 1991
Full series
▼ 14.80 pp
since 1990

In Africa: #2 of 21vs median 54.70 %: −18.60 pp (better)

Among 125 countries

6 of 125 countries between 12.30 % and 17.90 %2 of 125 countries between 17.90 % and 23.49 %10 of 125 countries between 23.49 % and 29.09 %11 of 125 countries between 29.09 % and 34.68 %8 of 125 countries between 34.68 % and 40.28 %9 of 125 countries between 40.28 % and 45.88 %7 of 125 countries between 45.88 % and 51.47 %13 of 125 countries between 51.47 % and 57.07 %8 of 125 countries between 57.07 % and 62.66 %10 of 125 countries between 62.66 % and 68.26 %4 of 125 countries between 68.26 % and 73.85 %3 of 125 countries between 73.85 % and 79.45 %7 of 125 countries between 79.45 % and 85.05 %6 of 125 countries between 85.05 % and 90.64 %2 of 125 countries between 90.64 % and 96.24 %6 of 125 countries between 96.24 % and 101.83 %2 of 125 countries between 101.83 % and 107.43 %1 of 125 countries between 107.43 % and 113.02 %2 of 125 countries between 113.02 % and 118.62 %1 of 125 countries between 124.22 % and 129.81 %2 of 125 countries between 135.41 % and 141.00 %5 of 125 countries between 141.00 % and 146.60 %median 54.70 %Nigeria: ahead of 74 % of the 125 countries with a published government debtNigeria 36.10 %12.30 %146.60 %
Half of all 125 countries sit between 36.10 % and 81.70 %. Nigeria is ahead of 74 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs Nigeria
30 Ireland34.80 %−1.30 pp
31 Iran35.60 %−0.50 pp
32 Nigeria36.10 %—
33 Zimbabwe38.00 %+1.90 pp
34 Moldova39.20 %+3.10 pp

General government gross debt as a share of GDP (IMF World Economic Outlook, annual).

How to read this figure

Central government debt as a share of GDP (World Bank). General government debt (including local government and social funds) can be meaningfully higher; comparisons across countries are indicative.

Next, about Nigeria

Debt per personGDP growthInflation rate
Government debt, all countries ranked →Compare Nigeria with another country →Everything about Nigeria →
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