A fresh look at the International Monetary Fund’s financial records shows that African countries with the highest IMF debt are not necessarily the continent’s largest economies. Egypt has emerged as the clear leader, while Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Kenya also carry billions of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) in the outstanding IMF credit.
The figures matter because IMF borrowing is different from a country’s total public debt. In this article, Tribune Online looks at the African countries with the highest IMF debt. The ranking below measures IMF credit outstanding, meaning the amount a member country still owes the Fund, rather than all domestic and external government liabilities.
According to the IMF’s latest record covering transactions from August 1 to August 20, 2026, Egypt had the largest outstanding IMF credit among African countries at SDR 7.86 billion. Côte d’Ivoire followed with SDR 4.14 billion, while Ghana and Kenya had SDR 2.99 billion and SDR 2.85 billion respectively.
Egypt
Egypt sits comfortably at the top of the August ranking, with SDR 7.86 billion in IMF credit outstanding as of August 20, 2026. The figure increased during the month after the country received SDR 1.313 billion in disbursements, although it also made SDR 119.4 million in repayments.
The latest increase comes against the backdrop of Egypt’s ongoing IMF-supported reform programme. On July 30, the IMF Executive Board completed its seventh review under Egypt’s Extended Fund Facility and second review under its Resilience and Sustainability Facility, allowing the country to draw about $1.8 billion.
Côte d’Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire ranks second, with SDR 4.14 billion outstanding. Unlike Egypt, the IMF’s August record shows no new disbursement or repayment during the period covered, leaving the country’s outstanding balance unchanged from the end of July.
Its position reflects the scale of IMF-supported financing accumulated over recent years as the West African economy manages fiscal pressures while pursuing economic and structural reforms.
Ghana
Ghana’s outstanding IMF credit stood at SDR 2.99 billion on August 20. The country has remained one of the continent’s major IMF borrowers following its economic crisis and subsequent reform programme.
The figure also puts Ghana ahead of several larger African economies, illustrating why economic size alone does not determine a country’s position on an IMF-credit ranking.
Kenya
Kenya recorded SDR 2.85 billion in outstanding IMF credit, placing it fourth among African countries. The August record shows neither fresh disbursements nor repayments during the period, so its balance remained unchanged.
Kenya’s IMF relationship has become closely tied to efforts to strengthen fiscal management, rebuild buffers and address debt vulnerabilities. These pressures remain relevant as governments across sub-Saharan Africa operate with limited fiscal space.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo had SDR 2.43 billion in outstanding IMF credit, making it the fifth-largest African borrower in the latest record. The IMF data shows no August disbursement or repayment, leaving the balance unchanged.
The country’s position is particularly notable because the DRC’s enormous natural-resource base does not automatically eliminate financing pressures. Economic management, infrastructure requirements and external vulnerabilities continue to shape its financing needs.
Angola
Angola’s IMF credit outstanding stood at SDR 2.23 billion as of August 20. The balance was unchanged during the month, with no recorded disbursement or repayment in the latest IMF movement report.
As a major oil producer, Angola’s fiscal position remains closely connected to commodity prices, making economic diversification and debt management important parts of its long-term financial strategy.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia ranked seventh with SDR 2.09 billion in outstanding IMF credit. The country entered August with the same balance and recorded no new IMF disbursement or repayment through August 20.
Its inclusion near the top of the ranking highlights the financing pressures facing several large, fast-growing African economies as they attempt to fund development while managing external and fiscal constraints.
Tanzania
Tanzania’s outstanding IMF credit reached SDR 1.66 billion, putting it eighth. The August record shows no movement in its balance during the period.
Although Tanzania’s amount is considerably below Egypt’s, it still represents a substantial IMF exposure and places the country among the continent’s ten largest outstanding borrowers.
Zambia
Zambia recorded SDR 1.27 billion in IMF credit outstanding. The country has been navigating a prolonged debt restructuring process, making IMF support an important component of its broader economic recovery programme.
The IMF’s broader assessment of sub-Saharan Africa also points to continued fiscal and financing challenges across the region, with growth projected at 4.3% in 2026 amid significant downside risks.
Cameroon
Cameroon completes the top 10 with SDR 1.10 billion in outstanding IMF credit. The balance remained unchanged between the end of July and August 20, according to the Fund’s latest data.
The country narrowly stays ahead of Sudan, whose outstanding IMF credit stood at about SDR 991.6 million, while Uganda followed with SDR 920.6 million.
What August IMF ranking reveals
The numbers narrate a bigger story than simply identifying which country owes the IMF the most. Sub-Saharan Africa entered 2026 after an estimated 4.5% growth rate in 2025, but the IMF expects regional growth to slow to 4.3% amid commodity-price shocks, declining aid and persistent macroeconomic vulnerabilities.
Meanwhile, IMF credit outstanding did not mean total national debt. A country can rank relatively low on IMF borrowing while carrying substantial debt to domestic lenders, commercial creditors, bondholders and other international institutions.
The August figures therefore provide a specific snapshot of African governments’ financial exposure to the IMF, and not a complete ranking of which countries are most indebted overall.