Zimbabwe: Net domestic credit (current LCU)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Zimbabwe's net domestic credit (current LCU) rose 795.5% on 2022 (from 624.66 million to 5.59 billion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1989 to 2022), the average change was +47.3% and a typical year strayed about 105.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 7.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 795.5% in 2023 and the biggest yearly fall was 74.9% in 1984. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2014 to 2023 the straight-line trend is upward, about 335.29 million a year. A straight line explains 34% 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 2023, Zimbabwe had the 12th highest value of the 13 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 Zimbabwe in the 2023 ranking

• Malta — 8th of 13: 17.88 billion
• Tajikistan — 9th of 13: 14.32 billion
• Barbados — 10th of 13: 12.13 billion
• Aruba — 12th of 13: 4.03 billion
• São Tomé and Principe — 13th of 13: 2.66 billion

What this measures

Net domestic credit is the sum of net claims on the central government and claims on other sectors of the domestic economy. 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.

All 42 values

Net domestic credit (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Angola — 17.9 trillion (2025)
• Benin — 3.35 trillion (2025)
• Botswana — 119.01 billion (2025)
• Burkina Faso — 5.09 trillion (2025)
• Burundi — 2.81 trillion (2019)
• Cabo Verde — 195.38 billion (2025)
• Cameroon — 4.4 trillion (2019)
• Central African Republic — 318.11 billion (2016)
• Chad — 1.49 trillion (2016)
• Comoros — 157.23 billion (2024)
• Congo, Dem. Rep.

More financial sector data for Zimbabwe

• GDP deflator (base year varies by country) — 2,193 (2025)
• DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) — US$31.8 (2025)
• Inflation, GDP deflator (annual % growth) — 83.12% (2025)
• Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) — US$26.6 (2025)
• Net foreign assets (current LCU) — 1.55 billion (2023)
• Broad money (current LCU) — 7.57 billion (2023)
• Broad money (% of GDP) — 11.2% (2023)
• Broad money to total reserves ratio — 34.79 (2023)
• Claims on central government, etc. (% of GDP) — 1.44% (2023)
• Monetary sector credit to private sector (% of GDP)

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 Zimbabwe's net domestic credit (current LCU)?

5.59 billion in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1979?

It is up 15.23 million% from 36,739 in 1979 (31.16% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 5.59 billion in 2023 and the lowest 36,739 in 1979.

How does Zimbabwe rank?

12th highest of 13 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in net domestic credit (current LCU) unusual for Zimbabwe?

In 2023, Zimbabwe's net domestic credit (current LCU) rose 795.5% on 2022 (from 624.66 million to 5.59 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1989 to 2022), the average change was +47.3% and a typical year strayed about 105.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 7.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator FM.AST.DOMS.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Financial Statistics database, 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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