UNCTAD: Global interest bills near $1trn as borrowing costs rise

Developing countries, including Nigeria, paid almost $1 trillion in net interest on public debt in 2025, nearly three times the amount recorded in 2010, as rising borrowing costs increasingly crowd out spending on health, education and other development priorities, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has warned.
In its latest “A World of Debt 2026 report”, UNCTAD said interest payments on public debt in developing economies rose from $363 billion in 2010 to $995 billion in 2025.
The UN trade body warned that the cost of servicing debt has become a major constraint on public investment, particularly in countries with limited fiscal space.
Furthermore, th...