Global debt to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) remains heavily concentrated among a select group of nations in 2026.
Leading the list by a massive margin is Argentina, which tops the global ranking with an extraordinary $56.8 billion in outstanding IMF obligations.
Ukraine follows as the second-largest borrower at $14.4 billion, reflecting the ongoing financial demands of its reconstruction and economic stability efforts.
Pakistan and Egypt hold the third and fourth positions, owing $10.8 billion and $10.6 billion respectively, while Ecuador rounds out the top five with $9.4 billion in debt.
African nations also feature prominently among the world’s top borrowers.
Côte d'Ivoire leads the continent's heavy debt burden at $5.6 billion, followed by Ghana ($4.0 billion) and Kenya ($3.8 billion).
The Democratic Republic of Congo ($3.3 billion), Angola ($2.9 billion), and Ethiopia ($2.8 billion) further highlight the significant financial exposure across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Asian and Latin American economies like Bangladesh ($3.9 billion), Sri Lanka ($3.0 billion), Costa Rica ($2.4 billion), and Jordan ($2.3 billion) complete the top 15 list of the IMF’s biggest debtors
