Ethiopia: Net incurrence of liabilities, total (current LCU)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Ethiopia's net incurrence of liabilities, total (current LCU) fell 25.5% on 2023 (from 340.9 billion to 253.89 billion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1992 to 2023), the average change was +31% and a typical year strayed about 80.4% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.7 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 422.6% in 2006 and the biggest yearly fall was 46.7% in 1997. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 28.93 billion a year. A straight line explains 83% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Ethiopia had the 25th highest value of the 55 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Ethiopia in the 2024 ranking

• Mongolia — 22nd of 55: 420.26 billion
• South Africa — 23rd of 55: 414.86 billion
• Armenia — 24th of 55: 399.87 billion
• Dominican Republic — 26th of 55: 208.08 billion
• United Kingdom — 27th of 55: 203.14 billion
• Israel — 28th of 55: 199.01 billion

What this measures

Net incurrence of government liabilities includes foreign financing (obtained from nonresidents) and domestic financing (obtained from residents), or the means by which a government provides financial resources to cover a budget deficit or allocates financial resources arising from a budget surplus. The net incurrence of liabilities should be offset by the net acquisition of financial assets. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.

Limitations: For most countries central government finance data have been consolidated into one account, but for others only budgetary central government accounts are available. Countries reporting budgetary data are noted in the country metadata. Because budgetary accounts may not include all central government units (such as social security funds), they usually provide an incomplete picture. In federal states the central government accounts provide an incomplete view of total public finance. Data on government revenue and expense are collected by the IMF through questionnaires to member countries and by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

All 34 values

Net incurrence of liabilities, total (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Angola — -778.29 billion (2024)
• Botswana — 8.29 billion (2023)
• Burkina Faso — 900.19 billion (2024)
• Burundi — 181.93 billion (2021)
• Cabo Verde — 16.42 billion (2020)
• Cameroon — 593.86 billion (2021)
• Central African Republic — 50.67 billion (2021)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 1.39 trillion (2022)
• Congo, Rep. — 119.5 billion (2021)
• Côte d'Ivoire

More public sector data for Ethiopia

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 528.11 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 73.34 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 0.49% (2025)
• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 63 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 4.11% (2025)
• Net incurrence of liabilities, total (% of GDP) — 2.15% (2024)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (current LCU) — 174.8 billion (2024)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (% of GDP) — 1.48% (2024)
• Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) — -224.95 billion (2024)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Ethiopia's net incurrence of liabilities, total (current LCU)?

253.89 billion in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1990?

It is up 14,309% from 1.76 billion in 1990 (15.74% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 340.9 billion in 2023 and the lowest 823.5 million in 1997.

How does Ethiopia rank?

25th highest of 55 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in net incurrence of liabilities, total (current LCU) unusual for Ethiopia?

In 2024, Ethiopia's net incurrence of liabilities, total (current LCU) fell 25.5% on 2023 (from 340.9 billion to 253.89 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1992 to 2023), the average change was +31% and a typical year strayed about 80.4% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.7 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator GC.LBL.TOTL.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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