South Africa Private Debt to GDP
Credit to the private non-financial sector (households and companies) as a percentage of GDP.
Private Debt to GDP in South Africa increased to 67.20 percent of GDP in Q1 2026 from 66.70 percent of GDP in Q4 2025.
South Africa Private Debt to GDP — History
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South Africa Private Debt to GDP — analysis in simple words
Latest reading
Private Debt to GDP in South Africa increased to 67.20 percent of GDP in Q1 2026 from 66.70 percent of GDP in Q4 2025.
Over the last three quarters it rose twice and fell once.
Recent trend
A year earlier (Q1 2025) it was 67.1%, so the latest figure is 0.1 percentage points higher.
Over the past five years the average was 68.0%, with a range from 66.7% to 70.0%. The latest value is below that five-year average.
Historical context
This data series starts in Q1 1965 and has 245 quarterly observations. The latest reading is higher than 69% of all of them.
The highest value on record is 82.5% (Q1 2008) and the lowest is 47.7% (Q3 1980). The long-run average is 62.5%.
Compared with other countries
Among 43 economies with recent data, South Africa ranks 37th from the top. The median across all these economies is 130.3%, so South Africa is below the typical country.
Among 19 major economies tracked on this site it ranks 17th.
Statistics
- Latest
- 67.2%Q1 2026
- Previous
- 66.7%
- 5-year average
- 68.0%
- Long-run average
- 62.5%since Q1 1965
- All-time high
- 82.5%Q1 2008
- All-time low
- 47.7%Q3 1980
- Observations
- 245Quarterly
Recent Data
| Period | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 2026 | 67.2% | ▲ +0.5 pp |
| Q4 2025 | 66.7% | ▼ −0.5 pp |
| Q3 2025 | 67.2% | ▲ +0.1 pp |
| Q2 2025 | 67.1% | ■ 0.0 pp |
| Q1 2025 | 67.1% | ▲ +0.2 pp |
| Q4 2024 | 66.9% | ▼ −0.9 pp |
| Q3 2024 | 67.8% | ▲ +0.6 pp |
| Q2 2024 | 67.2% | ▼ −1.4 pp |
| Q1 2024 | 68.6% | ▲ +1.3 pp |
| Q4 2023 | 67.3% | ▼ −1.1 pp |
| Q3 2023 | 68.4% | ▲ +0.3 pp |
| Q2 2023 | 68.1% | ▼ −1.2 pp |
| Q1 2023 | 69.3% | ▲ +0.5 pp |
| Q4 2022 | 68.8% | ▲ +0.3 pp |
| Q3 2022 | 68.5% | ▲ +0.7 pp |
| Q2 2022 | 67.8% | ■ 0.0 pp |
| Q1 2022 | 67.8% | ▲ +0.1 pp |
| Q4 2021 | 67.7% | ▼ −1.8 pp |
| Q3 2021 | 69.5% | ▼ −0.5 pp |
| Q2 2021 | 70.0% | ▼ −5.1 pp |
| Q1 2021 | 75.1% | ▼ −0.1 pp |
| Q4 2020 | 75.2% | ▼ −0.6 pp |
| Q3 2020 | 75.8% | ▼ −1.5 pp |
| Q2 2020 | 77.3% | ▲ +0.8 pp |
| Q1 2020 | 76.5% | ▲ +2.3 pp |
| Q4 2019 | 74.2% | ▼ −1.3 pp |
| Q3 2019 | 75.5% | ▲ +0.9 pp |
| Q2 2019 | 74.6% | ▼ −1.2 pp |
| Q1 2019 | 75.8% | ▲ +2.1 pp |
| Q4 2018 | 73.7% |
Private Debt to GDP — South Africa vs Peers
Latest available reading for each economy (periods may differ). South Africa highlighted.
More South Africa indicators
Understanding Private Debt to GDP — a simple guide
What it measures
Credit to the private non-financial sector — households and non-financial companies — as a percentage of GDP (BIS).
How it is calculated
Loans and debt securities owed by households and non-financial companies ÷ GDP × 100 (BIS).
A ratio of 90% means private borrowers owe almost one year of national output.
High or fast-rising private debt can increase financial stability risks.
Low private debt can mean room for credit growth, or limited access to finance.
Why it matters for the economy and markets
Private leverage affects financial stability; rapid credit booms have historically preceded banking stress.
How to read it
The BIS “credit-to-GDP gap” approach looks at how far the ratio is above its long-run trend rather than the level alone.
Data source
Bank for International Settlements (BIS) (series WS_TC/P.A.M.770.A), quarterly data from Q1 1965 to Q1 2026. 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 private debt to gdp of South Africa?
What is the highest and lowest private debt to gdp of South Africa?
What does private debt to gdp measure?
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.