Economy · Public debt · Somalia
Somalia’s public debt fell to 12.7% of GDP in 2024.
12.7% of GDP
2024
Down 30.7 pp from 2022.
Updated 8 Oct 2026
In plain words
12.7% of GDP
What it is. This measure adds up everything the central government owes and divides it by a year of national output, so the figure shifts when debt changes or when the economy grows or shrinks. It covers the central government only and leaves out the borrowing of households, firms and other parts of the public sector. Because it is a ratio, a fall can come from repayment, debt cancellation or a larger economy.
Lower is better. A lower ratio means a smaller share of national income is owed by the state, which leaves more room to borrow again if a drought or a security shock strikes. Somalia's latest figure is 12.7% of GDP for 2024. That is the lowest in the range since 2021. The high over the same span was 47.3% of GDP in January 2021, so the ratio has fallen to about a quarter of its earlier peak.
Why it matters. At 12.7% of GDP, the Somali state owes a modest amount relative to the size of the economy. Lenders and donors can see a government with limited existing obligations, which supports new concessional financing for roads, security and services. Households gain when public revenue goes to those services instead of repaying old creditors. The 2024 figure is the one to compare against the next annual update.
| Period | Public debt · Somalia |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 47.3% of GDP |
| 2022 | 43.4% of GDP |
| 2024 | 12.7% of GDP |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0) · Licence: CC BY 4.0
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Strata-AF™ Data, Public debt, Somalia, 2024; source World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 8 Oct 2026; https://data.strata-af.com/economy/public-debt/somalia
Data insights · Worked out from the published figures
What this means
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Methodology
Central government debt, total, as a share of GDP. Unit: % of GDP. The measure covers central government only.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (series GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS), retrieved through the World Bank API and published under CC BY 4.0. Updated annually; the World Bank's own source notes apply.