Benin Government Spending to GDP

General government expenditure as a percentage of GDP.

Government Spending to GDP in Benin decreased to 18.05 percent of GDP in 2024 from 19.17 percent of GDP in 2023.

18.1%
▼ −1.1 pp2024 · previous 19.2%Annual · percent of GDP · Source: IMF — Public Finances in Modern History

Benin Government Spending to GDP — History

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Benin Government Spending to GDP — analysis in simple words

Latest reading

Government Spending to GDP in Benin decreased to 18.05 percent of GDP in 2024 from 19.17 percent of GDP in 2023.

Over the last three years it rose once and fell twice.

Recent trend

A year earlier (2023) it was 19.2%, so the latest figure is 1.1 percentage points lower.

Over the past five years the average was 19.2%, with a range from 18.1% to 19.9%. The latest value is below that five-year average.

Historical context

This data series starts in 1989 and has 36 annual observations. The latest reading is higher than 69% of all of them.

The highest value on record is 20.2% (1995) and the lowest is 10.7% (1999). The long-run average is 16.3%.

Compared with other countries

Among 151 economies with recent data, Benin ranks 136th from the top. The median across all these economies is 30.3%, so Benin is below the typical country.

Within Sub-Saharan Africa (33 economies with data) it ranks 27th; the regional median is 20.6%.

Statistics

Latest
18.1%2024
Previous
19.2%
5-year average
19.2%
Long-run average
16.3%since 1989
All-time high
20.2%1995
All-time low
10.7%1999
Observations
36Annual

Recent Data

PeriodValueChange
202418.1%▼ −1.1 pp
202319.2%▼ −0.7 pp
202219.9%▲ +0.0 pp
202119.9%▲ +0.8 pp
202019.1%▲ +4.8 pp
201914.3%▼ −2.2 pp
201816.5%▼ −1.2 pp
201717.7%▲ +2.3 pp
201615.4%▼ −2.7 pp
201518.2%▲ +3.9 pp
201414.2%▼ −0.7 pp
201314.9%▲ +0.7 pp
201214.2%▼ −0.5 pp
201114.7%▲ +0.7 pp
201014.1%▼ −2.9 pp
200917.0%▲ +2.4 pp
200814.5%▼ −1.3 pp
200715.8%▲ +2.8 pp
200613.0%▼ −1.1 pp
200514.1%▲ +0.8 pp
200413.4%▼ −0.3 pp
200313.7%▼ −1.6 pp
200215.3%▼ −0.2 pp
200115.4%▼ −0.2 pp
200015.6%▲ +4.9 pp
199910.7%▼ −4.1 pp
199814.9%▼ −2.5 pp
199717.3%▼ −0.8 pp
199618.2%▼ −2.0 pp
199520.2%

Government Spending to GDP — Benin vs Peers

Latest available reading for each economy (periods may differ). Benin highlighted.

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More Benin indicators

Understanding Government Spending to GDP — a simple guide

What it measures

General government expenditure as a percentage of GDP.

How it is calculated

Total government expenditure ÷ GDP × 100.

Simple example

28% means government spending equals 28% of GDP.

▲ When it is high or rising

A large public sector role in the economy.

▼ When it is low or falling

A smaller public sector role.

Why it matters for the economy and markets

The ratio shows the size of the public sector in the economy.

How to read it

Read with revenue: the gap between the two is the fiscal balance.

Data source

IMF — Public Finances in Modern History (series exp), annual data from 1989 to 2024. Values are shown exactly as published by the source and may be revised later.

How to use the chart

Use the 5Y / 10Y / 25Y / Max buttons to change the time range, or drag the slider under the chart. Hover (or tap) on the line to see the exact value for any period. Dashed lines and hatched bars are IMF projections, not actual data. The “Download CSV” button gives you the full data series.

Frequently asked questions

What is the current government spending to gdp of Benin?
Benin government spending to gdp was 18.1% in 2024, compared with 19.2% in the previous period, according to IMF — Public Finances in Modern History.
What is the highest and lowest government spending to gdp of Benin?
Since 1989, the highest reading was 20.2% (1995) and the lowest was 10.7% (1999).
What does government spending to gdp measure?
General government expenditure as a percentage of GDP.

Data are sourced from official international organisations (IMF, World Bank, BIS) and national authorities, and are shown for educational and informational purposes only. They are not investment advice and no recommendation is made. Figures may be revised by the source; IMF figures for the current and future years are projections. This page was last updated on Saturday, October 17, 2026.