Interest payments in Cameroon
Cameroon: Interest payments was 7.8% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Interest payments in Cameroon, 1990–2021
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
The most recent figure for interest payments in Cameroon is 7.8%, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.7% on the previous year and up 198.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, interest payments in Cameroon peaked at 25.6% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 2012.
Cameroon ranks 68th of 152 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Interest payments in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 7.8% | — |
| 1991 | 8.1% | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 8.3% | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 12.8% | +54.5% |
| 1994 | 23.9% | +87.5% |
| 1995 | 25.6% | +7.1% |
| 1998 | 24.9% | -2.7% |
| 1999 | 22.4% | -10.0% |
| 2012 | 2.6% | -88.4% |
| 2013 | 2.7% | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | +11.4% |
| 2015 | 3.0% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 6.1% | +105.5% |
| 2017 | 7.9% | +29.9% |
| 2018 | 6.8% | -13.7% |
| 2019 | 8.1% | +18.9% |
| 2020 | 7.0% | -13.7% |
| 2021 | 7.8% | +11.7% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 7.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.0%, 78% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 7.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 11.3%, 69% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16.7% | 7.8% | 25.6% | 8 |
| 2010s | 5.0% | 2.6% | 8.1% | 8 |
| 2020s | 7.4% | 7.0% | 7.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More public sector data for Cameroon
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
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- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
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- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
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Frequently asked questions
- What is interest payments in Cameroon?
- Interest payments in Cameroon was 7.8% in 2021, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest interest payments recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 25.6% in 1995.
- What is the lowest interest payments recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 2012.
- How does Cameroon rank for interest payments?
- Cameroon ranks 68th out of 152 countries with data for 2021.
- Is interest payments rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 198.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Interest payments (% of expense). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Interest payments include interest payments on government debt (including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments) to domestic and foreign residents. This indicator is expressed as percentage of total expenses which is any decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction.