Burkina Faso Government Spending to GDP

General government expenditure as a percentage of GDP.

Government Spending to GDP in Burkina Faso decreased to 27.83 percent of GDP in 2024 from 29.43 percent of GDP in 2023.

27.8%
▼ −1.6 pp2024 · previous 29.4%Annual · percent of GDP · Source: IMF — Public Finances in Modern History

Burkina Faso Government Spending to GDP — History

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Burkina Faso Government Spending to GDP — analysis in simple words

Latest reading

Government Spending to GDP in Burkina Faso decreased to 27.83 percent of GDP in 2024 from 29.43 percent of GDP in 2023.

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

Recent trend

A year earlier (2023) it was 29.4%, so the latest figure is 1.6 percentage points lower.

Over the past five years the average was 28.5%, with a range from 24.4% to 32.9%. The latest value is below that five-year average.

Historical context

This data series starts in 1985 and has 40 annual observations. The latest reading is higher than 93% of all of them.

The highest value on record is 32.9% (2022) and the lowest is 11.5% (1985). The long-run average is 20.9%.

Compared with other countries

Among 151 economies with recent data, Burkina Faso ranks 87th from the top. The median across all these economies is 30.3%, so Burkina Faso is below the typical country.

Within Sub-Saharan Africa (33 economies with data) it ranks 9th; the regional median is 20.6%.

Statistics

Latest
27.8%2024
Previous
29.4%
5-year average
28.5%
Long-run average
20.9%since 1985
All-time high
32.9%2022
All-time low
11.5%1985
Observations
40Annual

Recent Data

PeriodValueChange
202427.8%▼ −1.6 pp
202329.4%▼ −3.4 pp
202232.9%▲ +5.0 pp
202127.8%▲ +3.4 pp
202024.4%▲ +1.1 pp
201923.3%▼ −0.8 pp
201824.2%▼ −2.1 pp
201726.3%▲ +4.6 pp
201621.6%▲ +1.3 pp
201520.4%▼ −0.6 pp
201420.9%▼ −4.3 pp
201325.3%▲ +2.6 pp
201222.7%▲ +2.2 pp
201120.4%▼ −1.2 pp
201021.7%▲ +0.1 pp
200921.5%▲ +2.9 pp
200818.6%▼ −4.2 pp
200722.8%▲ +1.0 pp
200621.9%▲ +1.7 pp
200520.2%▼ −0.0 pp
200420.3%▲ +2.7 pp
200317.6%▼ −1.9 pp
200219.5%▼ −0.2 pp
200119.7%▼ −0.2 pp
200019.8%▼ −1.6 pp
199921.4%▲ +1.7 pp
199819.7%▼ −0.3 pp
199720.0%▲ +0.3 pp
199619.8%▲ +0.3 pp
199519.4%

Government Spending to GDP — Burkina Faso vs Peers

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

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More Burkina Faso 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 1985 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 Burkina Faso?
Burkina Faso government spending to gdp was 27.8% in 2024, compared with 29.4% in the previous period, according to IMF — Public Finances in Modern History.
What is the highest and lowest government spending to gdp of Burkina Faso?
Since 1985, the highest reading was 32.9% (2022) and the lowest was 11.5% (1985).
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.