Formal Borrowing Statistics in Lesotho (2026)
According to World Bank Global Findex data, 7% of adults in Lesotho borrowed from a formal financial institution in 2024. Down from 12.6% in 2022 to 7% in 2024 (−5.6 percentage points). Lesotho ranks #17 of 36 economies in Sub-Saharan Africa on this measure, and #113 of 142 globally.
Key Statistics
- Latest value (2024)
- 7% (2024)
- Formal Borrowing in Lesotho as of 2024, the most recent observation in World Bank Global Findex data.
- Change since 2022
- −5.6 pp (2024)
- Down from 12.6% in 2022 to 7% in 2024 (−5.6 percentage points).
- Earliest value in this dataset (2017)
- 5.6% (2017)
- Earliest observation in this dataset, which covers 1990 onward (the source series may begin earlier). Up from 5.6% in 2017 to 7% in 2024.
- Peak value (2022)
- 12.6% (2022)
- Highest value in the available series; the 2024 value is 7%.
- Rank in Sub-Saharan Africa
- #17 of 36 (2024)
- Lesotho ranks 17 of 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data, based on each country's latest value.
- Global rank
- #113 of 142 (2024)
- Lesotho ranks 113 of 142 countries with data globally.
- Sub-Saharan Africa average
- 7.8% (2024)
- Lesotho (7%) is below the average of 7.8% across the 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data.
- Internet use in Lesotho (2024)
- 51.8% (2024)
- 51.8% of the population in Lesotho used the internet in 2024 (World Bank); shown for context only.
- Population (2024)
- 2.3 million (2024)
- Lesotho had a population of 2.3 million in 2024 (World Bank); shown for scale only.
Trend, 2017–2024
| Year | % of adults (age 15+) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7% | −5.6 pp |
| 2022 | 12.6% | +7.0 pp |
| 2017 | 5.6% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What share of adults in Lesotho borrowed from a formal financial institution?
7% of adults in Lesotho borrowed from a formal financial institution in 2024, according to World Bank Global Findex data.
Where does the formal borrowing data for Lesotho come from?
The data comes from the World Bank Global Findex (indicator fin22a). The latest observation for Lesotho is from 2024; the snapshot was retrieved on 2026-06-10.
How has formal borrowing in Lesotho changed over time?
World Bank Global Findex data show a rise from 5.6% in 2017 to 7% in 2024.
Source & methodology
Source: World Bank Global Findex, indicator
fin22a, retrieved .
Figures are shown exactly as published in the source dataset; only the change column of the trend table is computed from adjacent published values.Read more on the methodology page. All figures are estimates and projections; this is not financial advice.
Last updated .