Senegal, Cameroon face rising public debt as IMF notes $38.6 bn African arrears

In Senegal, the APR political party warned that the public debt structure has shifted dramatically, with domestic debt maturity falling to an average of 3.6 years in 2024 and interest payments rising 51% to 290 billion FCFA. The party says this surge threatens public investment, social programmes and infrastructure projects.

Cameroon reported a floating debt of about $1.8 billion at the end of Q1 2026, reflecting delayed payments to domestic suppliers and banks. The backlog adds pressure on the state’s cash flow and raises concerns among regional regulators and international lenders about fiscal governance.

At the Africa Forward summit in Nairobi, the IMF disclosed that African countries collectively owe $38.6 billion to the institution, accounting for 31.5% of its global portfolio. Egypt leads the continent’s indebtedness with $6.86 billion, followed by Kenya at $2.85 billion. The IMF urged African governments to diversify financing sources and reduce reliance on external borrowing.