Developing countries’ external debt climbed to a record $9.4 trillion in 2025, the World Bank said on Tuesday.
The rise was driven by a surge in private borrowing and higher global interest rates, the bank’s analysis found.
External debt refers to money that governments and private firms in developing economies owe to lenders abroad, including bonds, loans and other financial instruments.
The World Bank’s latest data release, reported by Punch Nigeria, marks the highest level of external debt ever recorded for the group of nations.
While the figures highlight growing financial exposure, the bank did not provide further commentary on the implications for individual countries.
<small>Source: Punch Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>