Zambia Education Spending
Government expenditure on education as % of GDP SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS
Zambia's education spending was 3.45% in 2025, ranked 102nd globally. This represents a 15.3% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1970–2025.
Overview
Zambia's education spending stood at 3.45% in 2025, a decline of +0.62% from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 3.45% by 2025. Zambia ranked 102nd globally.
Zambia’s public expenditure on education has fallen markedly since the mid‑1970s, when the share of GDP peaked at 6.24 % in 1975, to a historic low of 1.10 % in 2008, before modestly recovering to 3.45 % in 2025, ranking 102nd globally. The 45‑year series shows a long‑term downward bias despite occasional upticks, reflecting fiscal pressures and competing development priorities. Compared with peers of similar rank, Zambia’s 2025 spending is virtually identical to Azerbaijan’s 3.46 % and Mongolia’s 3.44 %, yet remains below Benin’s 3.49 % and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 3.39 %. The persistent gap between the 1975 peak and current levels suggests that structural reforms in tax collection and budgetary allocation are needed to reverse the decline. If fiscal space expands and political commitment to human capital strengthens, the upward trajectory observed since 2008 could accelerate, potentially restoring education spending to levels nearer the 1990s.
Data & projection
| Year | Education Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 3.35% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 3.45% | - | - |
| 2025 | 3.45% | −0.62% | #102 |
| 2023 | 4.07% | +0.41% | #70 |
| 2022 | 3.66% | +0.55% | #68 |
| 2021 | 3.11% | −0.83% | #43 |
| 2020 | 3.94% | −0.47% | #66 |
| 2019 | 4.42% | −0.32% | #93 |
| 2018 | 4.74% | +1.01% | #107 |
| 2017 | 3.73% | −0.02% | #69 |
| 2016 | 3.75% | −0.88% | #60 |
| 2015 | 4.62% | −0.53% | #92 |
| 2014 | 5.15% | +1.43% | #112 |
| 2013 | 3.72% | +0.02% | #57 |
| 2012 | 3.70% | +0.34% | #67 |
| 2011 | 3.36% | −0.06% | #51 |
| 2010 | 3.42% | +2.32% | #46 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Zambia matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2021. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw education spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Zambia's education spending was 3.45% in 2025. Ranked 102nd globally. This represents a 15.3% decrease from the previous year.
Zambia's education spending peaked at 6.24% in 1975.
The lowest education spending in Zambia was 1.10% in 2008.
Zambia ranks 102nd globally in education spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Zambia's education spending is projected to reach 3.45% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The education spending of Zambia in 2025 was 3.45%. This ranks 102nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_zambia_education-spending-gdp,
title = {Zambia Education Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/zambia/education-spending-gdp/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}