Government expense — all countries

Government expense — Sub-Saharan Africa

Government expense in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2019 — 21.55%. Since 2016, the indicator has risen by 0.68 pp.

2019 21.55% −0.07 pp vs 2018
World rank
Period maximum 21.62%2018
Period minimum 20.88%2016

Trend over time

2016–2019 · % of GDP

Government expense — Sub-Saharan Africa, 2016–201920.82121.221.421.621.820162017201820192016: 20.88%2017: 21.43%2018: 21.62%2019: 21.55%
Change over the period: +0.68 pp Annual average: 0.23 pp

Comparison, 2019

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa 21.55%
World 26.7%
Government expense — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2019 21.55 −0.07 pp
2018 21.62 +0.19 pp
2017 21.43 +0.55 pp
2016 20.88

About the indicator

Central government expense as a percent of GDP: compensation of public employees, purchases of goods and services, interest on debt, subsidies, grants and social benefits. The indicator is broader than government consumption from the national accounts, because it includes transfers — pensions and benefits — which the accounts record as household income. The quantity is closely tied to the level of income: in advanced countries it is usually twice as high as in the poorest ones.

Important: Central government only. In federations the spending of regions is not included here, so comparing unitary and federal states by this indicator calls for a caveat.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.