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

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Rwanda's net incurrence of liabilities, total (current LCU) rose 37.4% on 2023 (from 957.05 billion to 1.32 trillion).

Across the 16 yearly changes before that (1974 to 2023), the average change was +39.8% and a typical year strayed about 65.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 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 171.8% in 1979 and the biggest yearly fall was 55.2% in 1978. 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 123.68 billion a year. A straight line explains 78% 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, Rwanda had the 16th 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 Rwanda in the 2024 ranking

• Malawi — 12th of 55: 2.31 trillion
• United States — 13th of 55: 2.07 trillion
• Ukraine — 14th of 55: 1.4 trillion
• Philippines — 16th of 55: 1.28 trillion
• Lebanon — 17th of 55: 1.13 trillion
• Burkina Faso — 18th of 55: 900.19 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 20 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 Rwanda

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 191.19 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 273.65 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 1.29% (2025)
• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 37 million (2023)
• Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 4.7% (2025)
• Armed forces personnel, total — 35,000 (2020)
• Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 0.7% (2020)
• Grants and other revenue (current LCU) — 1.5 trillion (2024)
• Grants and other revenue (% of revenue) — 33.97% (2024)
• Social contributions (current LCU)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

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

1.32 trillion in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1973?

It is up 173,898% from 756 million in 1973 (15.76% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 1.32 trillion in 2022 and the lowest 623 million in 1974.

How does Rwanda rank?

16th highest of 55 economies with data for 2024.

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

In 2024, Rwanda's net incurrence of liabilities, total (current LCU) rose 37.4% on 2023 (from 957.05 billion to 1.32 trillion). Across the 16 yearly changes before that (1974 to 2023), the average change was +39.8% and a typical year strayed about 65.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 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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