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South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria top Africa’s $543bn external debt

Africa’s external debt burden is increasingly defined by concentration at the top and vulnerability at the bottom, with just 10 countries accounting for a combined $543.58 billion in foreign obligations as of 2025. According to the latest figures from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the continent’s debt exposure remains heavily skewed toward a few large economies, even as smaller nations grapple with disproportionately high repayment pressures. [...]