Over the past 24 years, China has become one of the largest financiers of African development, providing billions of dollars in loans for infrastructure, energy, and resource-backed projects. According to a recent report by the Boston University Global Development Policy Center, the following countries have received the highest amounts of Chinese financing:

Top 10 African Countries by Chinese Loans (2002–2026): 

  1. 🇦🇴 Angola – $49.2 billion from 271 loans

  2. 🇪🇹 Ethiopia – $14.0 billion from 64 loans

  3. 🇰🇪 Kenya – $10.0 billion from 62 loans

  4. 🇿🇲 Zambia – $9.5 billion from 82 loans

  5. 🇳🇬 Nigeria – $8.9 billion from 25 loans

  6. 🇪🇬 Egypt – $7.7 billion from 19 loans

  7. 🇸🇩 Sudan – $6.3 billion from 66 loans

  8. 🇨🇲 Cameroon – $5.9 billion from 49 loans

  9. 🇬🇭 Ghana – $5.8 billion from 54 loans

  10. 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire – $5.7 billion from 42 loans

Angola leads the continent by a significant margin, receiving nearly $50 billion, primarily to fund infrastructure and energy projects. Ghana, ranked ninth, has received $5.8 billion, reflecting the country’s growing engagement with Chinese development finance.

The report notes that Chinese loans have played a major role in shaping Africa’s infrastructure landscape, providing critical capital for development but also raising concerns about long-term debt sustainability.

Source: Boston University Global Development Policy Center