Lesotho: Bank capital to assets ratio (%)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Lesotho's bank capital to assets ratio (%) rose 1.62 percentage points on 2023 (from 9.54% to 11.16%).

Across the 14 yearly changes before that (2010 to 2023), the average change was +0.34 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.19 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 1.98 percentage points in 2016 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.93 percentage points in 2023. 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 0.34 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 50% 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, Lesotho had the 11th highest value of the 30 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 Lesotho in the 2024 ranking

• Kenya — 8th of 30: 11.69%
• Peru — 9th of 30: 11.69%
• United Arab Emirates — 10th of 30: 11.28%
• Thailand — 12th of 30: 11.13%
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 13th of 30: 10.65%
• Jordan — 14th of 30: 10.49%

What this measures

The indicator is a measure of capital adequacy that evaluates the financial strength of deposit takers by comparing Tier 1 capital to total assets. Tier 1 capital, often referred to as core capital, includes the most stable and readily available forms of capital, such as common equity, disclosed reserves, retained earnings, and certain other instruments that meet regulatory requirements under the Basel framework. This capital is considered the highest quality because it is fully available to cover losses and does not need to be repaid.

Limitations: Reporting countries compile the data using different methodologies, which may also vary for different points in time for the same country. Users are advised to consult the accompanying metadata on the IMF FSI website (data.imf.org) to conduct more meaningful cross-country comparisons or to assess the evolution of the indicator for any of the countries.

All 16 values

Bank capital to assets ratio (%) in nearby economies

• Angola — 11.95% (2024)
• Botswana — 9.48% (2025)
• Cameroon — 6.65% (2023)
• Central African Republic — 11.12% (2023)
• Chad — -1.04% (2023)
• Comoros — 8.85% (2022)
• Congo, Rep. — 8.86% (2023)
• Equatorial Guinea — -6.4% (2023)
• Eswatini — 11.4% (2025)
• Gabon — 8.59% (2023)
• Gambia, The

More financial sector data for Lesotho

• GDP deflator (base year varies by country) — 207.17 (2025)
• DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) — US$17.89 (2025)
• Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) — US$17.89 (2025)
• Inflation, GDP deflator (annual % growth) — 3% (2025)
• Domestic credit to private sector by banks (% of GDP) — 23.84% (2024)
• Monetary sector credit to private sector (% of GDP) — 24.3% (2024)
• Domestic credit to private sector (% of GDP) — 24.3% (2024)
• Consumer price index (2010 = 100) — 221.03 (2025)
• Inflation, consumer prices (annual % growth) — 4.27% (2025)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Lesotho's bank capital to assets ratio (%)?

11.16% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2009?

It is up 6.43 percentage points from 4.73% in 2009. The highest value was 12.47% in 2022 and the lowest 4.73% in 2009.

How does Lesotho rank?

11th highest of 30 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in bank capital to assets ratio (%) unusual for Lesotho?

In 2024, Lesotho's bank capital to assets ratio (%) rose 1.62 percentage points on 2023 (from 9.54% to 11.16%). Across the 14 yearly changes before that (2010 to 2023), the average change was +0.34 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.19 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator FB.BNK.CAPA.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Financial Soundness Indicators, International Monetary Fund (IMF), uri: https://data.imf.org/en/datasets/IMF:EXTERNAL_DATASET_CARDS/IMF.STA:LFSI 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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