Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) was 3.17 billion current LCU in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Lesotho, 1987–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 3.17 billion current LCU for net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.6% on the previous year and up 270.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Lesotho peaked at 3.23 billion current LCU in 2023 and was at its lowest, -2.73 billion current LCU, in 2016.
That places Lesotho 23rd out of 156 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | -155.34 million current LCU | — |
| 1988 | -171.09 million current LCU | +10.1% |
| 1989 | -93.06 million current LCU | -45.6% |
| 1991 | 207.90 million current LCU | -323.4% |
| 1992 | 119.90 million current LCU | -42.3% |
| 1993 | 218.93 million current LCU | +82.6% |
| 1994 | 189.20 million current LCU | -13.6% |
| 1995 | 195.70 million current LCU | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 90.63 million current LCU | -53.7% |
| 1997 | 13.13 million current LCU | -85.5% |
| 1998 | -629.18 million current LCU | -4892.8% |
| 1999 | -885.68 million current LCU | +40.8% |
| 2000 | -59.93 million current LCU | -93.2% |
| 2001 | -203.46 million current LCU | +239.5% |
| 2002 | -202.58 million current LCU | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 80.30 million current LCU | -139.6% |
| 2004 | 605.30 million current LCU | +653.8% |
| 2005 | 488.90 million current LCU | -19.2% |
| 2006 | 1.40 billion current LCU | +186.0% |
| 2007 | 1.25 billion current LCU | -10.4% |
| 2008 | 575.43 million current LCU | -54.1% |
| 2009 | -873.00 million current LCU | -251.7% |
| 2010 | -499.49 million current LCU | -42.8% |
| 2011 | -1.88 billion current LCU | +275.5% |
| 2012 | 909.06 million current LCU | -148.5% |
| 2013 | -697.07 million current LCU | -176.7% |
| 2014 | 856.46 million current LCU | -222.9% |
| 2015 | -387.76 million current LCU | -145.3% |
| 2016 | -2.73 billion current LCU | +603.8% |
| 2017 | -596.00 million current LCU | -78.2% |
| 2018 | -1.43 billion current LCU | +139.3% |
| 2019 | -1.73 billion current LCU | +21.2% |
| 2020 | 88.74 million current LCU | -105.1% |
| 2021 | -1.61 billion current LCU | -1919.7% |
| 2022 | -2.05 billion current LCU | +26.7% |
| 2023 | 3.23 billion current LCU | -257.7% |
| 2024 | 3.17 billion current LCU | -1.6% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 3.17 billion current LCU is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is -13.47 billion current LCU. (36 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 3.17 billion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -84.53 billion current LCU. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | -4892.8% | 13.13 million current LCU | -629.18 million current LCU |
| 2021 | -1919.7% | 88.74 million current LCU | -1.61 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | -139.83 million current LCU | -171.09 million current LCU | -93.06 million current LCU | 3 |
| 1990s | -53.28 million current LCU | -885.68 million current LCU | 218.93 million current LCU | 9 |
| 2000s | 306.20 million current LCU | -873.00 million current LCU | 1.40 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -817.52 million current LCU | -2.73 billion current LCU | 909.06 million current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 565.34 million current LCU | -2.05 billion current LCU | 3.23 billion current LCU | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More public sector data for Lesotho
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, 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)
- Democracy 6 (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Lesotho?
- Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Lesotho was 3.17 billion current LCU in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 3.23 billion current LCU in 2023.
- What is the lowest net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.73 billion current LCU in 2016.
- How does Lesotho rank for net lending (+) / net borrowing (-)?
- Lesotho ranks 23rd out of 156 countries with data for 2024.
- Is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 270.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (–) equals government revenue minus expense, minus net investment in nonfinancial assets. It is also equal to the net result of transactions in financial assets and liabilities. Net lending/net borrowing is a summary measure indicating the extent to which government is either putting financial resources at the disposal of other sectors in the economy or abroad, or utilizing the financial resources generated by other sectors in the economy or from abroad. 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.