Gambia, The Education Spending
Government expenditure on education as % of GDP SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS
Gambia, The's education spending was 2.89% in 2025, ranked 126th globally. This represents a 2.9% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1985–2025.
Overview
Gambia, The's education spending stood at 2.89% in 2025, a rise of +0.08% from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 2.89% by 2025. Gambia, The ranked 126th globally.
Gambia’s education spending as a share of gross domestic product has fallen sharply since the mid‑1980s, slipping from an all‑time peak of 4.30 percent in 1985 to a historic trough of 0.62 percent in 2004, before modestly rebounding to 2.89 percent in 2025, which places the country 126th in the World Bank rankings. Over the 34‑year coverage period, the decline reflects constrained fiscal capacity and competing budgetary priorities, while the recent uptick aligns Gambia more closely with peers such as the Republic of Congo (2.85 percent) and Palau (2.95 percent). Despite the improvement, the level remains well below the regional average and suggests that sustained investment will be needed to close the gap in educational outcomes. If fiscal reforms expand revenue collection and prioritize human capital, the upward trajectory could accelerate, positioning Gambia nearer to the spending levels of its higher‑ranking counterparts.
Data & projection
| Year | Education Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 2.89% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 2.89% | - | - |
| 2025 | 2.89% | +0.08% | #126 |
| 2023 | 2.81% | −0.08% | #33 |
| 2022 | 2.89% | −0.15% | #40 |
| 2021 | 3.04% | +0.16% | #38 |
| 2020 | 2.89% | +0.08% | #30 |
| 2019 | 2.81% | +0.44% | #32 |
| 2018 | 2.37% | −0.09% | #21 |
| 2017 | 2.46% | +0.43% | #20 |
| 2016 | 2.02% | −0.14% | #11 |
| 2015 | 2.16% | −0.07% | #11 |
| 2014 | 2.23% | +0.41% | #16 |
| 2013 | 1.82% | −0.82% | #9 |
| 2012 | 2.64% | +0.14% | #32 |
| 2011 | 2.50% | −0.06% | #24 |
| 2010 | 2.56% | +0.66% | #26 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Gambia, The matched the Orthodox Tightening Cycle pattern in 2023. Historically, 57% of countries showing this pattern (177 out of 311) saw education spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Gambia, The's education spending was 2.89% in 2025. Ranked 126th globally. This represents a 2.9% increase from the previous year.
Gambia, The's education spending peaked at 4.30% in 1985.
The lowest education spending in Gambia, The was 0.62% in 2004.
Gambia, The ranks 126th globally in education spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Gambia, The's education spending is projected to reach 2.89% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The education spending of Gambia, The in 2025 was 2.89%. This ranks 126th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_gambia-the_education-spending-gdp,
title = {Gambia, The Education Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/gambia-the/education-spending-gdp/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}