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Indicators · Macro stability

Lending interest rate

The rate banks charge on loans to prime private customers.

Why it matters

The cost of local debt financing and a guide to the hurdle rate local projects must clear.

Read with care

Definitions differ between central banks; many smaller firms pay well above this rate.

Source

World Bank

%. 41 African countries, 1990 to 2025.

Lending rate: highest in Madagascar, lowest in Botswana

Lending interest rate, %. Latest year available, mostly 2025. 16 of 16 countries have data.

9.5%
11%
17%
24%
No data
Loading map…
Source: World Bank· Get the data (Professional)·dotzedw Insights Centre

Ranked: lending rateiWhy it mattersThe cost of local debt financing and a guide to the hurdle rate local projects must clear.

Click a country to highlight it.

0%20%40%60%Madagascar60.0%Zimbabwe46.4%Malawi37.1% (2024)DRC24.1%Angola19.4%Mozambique17.5%Tanzania16.7% (2020)Lesotho11.2% (2024)Namibia11.0% (2024)Eswatini10.9% (2024)South Africa10.7%Seychelles9.9%Zambia9.5% (2020)Mauritius9.0%Comoros8.0% (2022)Botswana6.3% (2024)median 11.1%
dotzedw Insights Centre
How spread out SADC is
Median 11.1%Lowest: Botswana 6.3%Highest: Madagascar 60.0%

Over time

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Lending interest rate against income per person

Each bubble is a SADC country, sized by population. Dashed lines mark the SADC medians. Countries far from the pattern are worth a closer look.

0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%$1,000$3,000$10kGDP per person, US$ (log scale)Lending rateDRCTanzaniaSouth AfricaAngolaMozambiqueMadagascarMalawiZambia
Source: World Bank, World Bank·dotzedw Insights Centre

Table

The same figures as the map, for screen readers and copying.
RankCountryValueYearFive-year changeGradeDetails
1Madagascar60.0%2025up 11.1 points since 2020A
2Zimbabwe46.4%2025up 13.4 points since 2020A
3Malawi37.1%2024up 11.4 points since 2019A
4DRC24.1%2025down 1.9 point since 2020A
5Angola19.4%2025down 0.3 points since 2020A
6Mozambique17.5%2025up 0.5 points since 2020A
7Tanzania16.7%2020up 0.6 points since 2015B
8Lesotho11.2%2024little changed since 2019A
9Namibia11.0%2024up 1.1 point since 2019A
10Eswatini10.9%2024up 0.8 points since 2019A
11South Africa10.7%2025up 3.0 points since 2020A
12Seychelles9.9%2025down 1.8 point since 2020A
13Zambia9.5%2020down 3.8 points since 2015B
14Mauritius9.0%2025up 1.8 point since 2020A
15Comoros8.0%2022down 2.5 points since 2017B
16Botswana6.3%2024little changed since 2019A