Uganda Interest Payments to Revenue
Interest payments as % of revenue GC.XPN.INTP.RV.ZS
Uganda's interest payments to revenue was 25.15% in 2025, ranked 8th globally. This represents a 20.7% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 2015–2025.
Overview
Uganda's interest payments to revenue stood at 25.15% in 2025, a rise of +4.31pp from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 25.15% by 2025. Uganda ranked 8th globally.
Uganda’s interest payments as a share of revenue have risen sharply over the past decade, climbing from 10.74 % in 2015 to 25.15 % in 2025, the highest level recorded in the ten‑year series and the eighth‑largest proportion among all economies in the World Bank database. This more than doubling reflects a tightening fiscal space as debt service obligations absorb a growing slice of the budget, a pattern echoed in other debt‑laden African states such as Kenya, where interest payments reached 25.88 % of revenue in the same year. By contrast, the Bahamas recorded a slightly higher share at 25.78 %, underscoring that Uganda’s trajectory now aligns with the upper tier of emerging‑market borrowers. The upward swing, driven by expanding external borrowing and higher global interest rates, suggests that without a concerted effort to curb debt accumulation or improve revenue mobilization, the share of interest outlays is likely to remain elevated or even increase in the near term.
Data & projection
| Year | Interest Payments to Revenue | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 27.10% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 25.15% | - | - |
| 2025 | 25.15% | +4.31pp | #8 |
| 2023 | 20.83% | +1.31pp | #93 |
| 2022 | 19.52% | +1.67pp | #105 |
| 2021 | 17.85% | +2.52pp | #113 |
| 2020 | 15.33% | +2.16pp | #113 |
| 2019 | 13.17% | −1.35pp | #114 |
| 2018 | 14.52% | −2.14pp | #119 |
| 2017 | 16.66% | +3.40pp | #129 |
| 2016 | 13.26% | +2.52pp | #118 |
| 2015 | 10.74% | – | #115 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Uganda matched the Orthodox Tightening Cycle pattern in 2011. Historically, 57% of countries showing this pattern (177 out of 311) saw interest payments to revenue improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Uganda's interest payments to revenue was 25.15% in 2025. Ranked 8th globally. This represents a 20.7% increase from the previous year.
Uganda's interest payments to revenue peaked at 25.15% in 2025.
The lowest interest payments to revenue in Uganda was 10.74% in 2015.
Uganda ranks 8th globally in interest payments to revenue as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is GC.XPN.INTP.RV.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Uganda's interest payments to revenue is projected to reach 25.15% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The interest payments to revenue of Uganda in 2025 was 25.15%. This ranks 8th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_uganda_interest-to-revenue,
title = {Uganda Interest Payments to Revenue},
url = {https://historysaid.com/uganda/interest-to-revenue/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}