Economy · Africa
—The stakes. China committed $180.87 billion in loans to Africa between 2000 and 2024, but new lending collapsed to just under $2.1 billion in 2024.
—The date. BU’s Chinese Loans to Africa Database update, published January 2026, confirms the sharpest annual drop in Chinese commitments on record.
—The shift. Beijing is moving from big infrastructure loans to small-and-beautiful projects, concentrating 2024 lending in Angola, Kenya, DRC, Senegal and Egypt.
—The debtors. Angola holds $20.98 billion in Chinese debt stock, followed by Ethiopia at $6.82 billion and Kenya at $6.69 billion in 2022.
