Liberia Interest Rate Spread
Interest rate spread (lending rate minus deposit rate) FR.INR.LNDP
Liberia's interest rate spread was 8.22% in 2017, ranked 94th globally. This represents a 15.6% decrease from 2016. Data from World Bank, covering 1981–2017.
Overview
Liberia's interest rate spread stood at 8.22% in 2017, a decline of +1.52pp from 2016. Liberia ranked 94th globally.
Liberia’s interest‑rate spread widened dramatically over the 35‑year series, climbing from an all‑time trough of 4.39 % in 1981 to a peak of 16.20 % during the post‑civil‑war recovery in 2001, before easing to 8.22 % in 2017, placing the country 94th globally. The 2017 spread remains marginally higher than that of Azerbaijan (8.11 %) and lower than Vanuatu (8.50 %), suggesting Liberia’s financing conditions are comparable to other emerging economies with modest credit‑market development. The surge to 16.20 % reflected severe macro‑financial dislocations, including weak banking sector depth and high risk premiums, while the subsequent decline signals gradual improvements in monetary policy transmission and modest growth in bank lending. Nevertheless, the spread remains above the regional average, indicating persistent frictions in access to credit. Continued consolidation of the banking sector, deeper financial market infrastructure and sustained macro‑stability could compress the spread further, steering Liberia toward tighter financing conditions in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Interest Rate Spread | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 8.22% | −1.52pp | #94 |
| 2016 | 9.74% | +0.19pp | #101 |
| 2015 | 9.56% | +0.21pp | #103 |
| 2014 | 9.34% | −0.28pp | #103 |
| 2013 | 9.62% | −0.40pp | #108 |
| 2012 | 10.02% | −0.70pp | #105 |
| 2011 | 10.72% | +0.02pp | #107 |
| 2010 | 10.70% | +0.62pp | #104 |
| 2009 | 10.08% | −0.32pp | #101 |
| 2008 | 10.40% | −0.88pp | #103 |
| 2007 | 11.28% | −0.78pp | #107 |
| 2006 | 12.06% | −1.54pp | #107 |
| 2005 | 13.60% | −0.66pp | #107 |
| 2004 | 14.26% | +2.49pp | #98 |
| 2003 | 11.77% | −2.19pp | #82 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Liberia matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2008. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw interest rate spread improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Liberia's interest rate spread was 8.22% in 2017. Ranked 94th globally. This represents a 15.6% decrease from the previous year.
Liberia's interest rate spread peaked at 16.20% in 2001.
The lowest interest rate spread in Liberia was 4.39% in 1981.
Liberia ranks 94th globally in interest rate spread as of 2017.
The World Bank indicator code is FR.INR.LNDP. Data sourced from World Bank.
The interest rate spread of Liberia in 2017 was 8.22%. This ranks 94th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_liberia_interest-rate-spread,
title = {Liberia Interest Rate Spread},
url = {https://historysaid.com/liberia/interest-rate-spread/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}