Lending interest rate in Uganda

Uganda: Lending interest rate was 19.8% in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
19.8%
Change on year
down 6.7%
World rank
16th
of 149 countries
All-time high
40.0%
in 1989
All-time low
12.0%
in 1980
Years of data
38
1980–2018

Lending interest rate in Uganda, 1980–2018

102030401980199920181980: 12 %1981: 12.5 %1982: 14.5 %1983: 16.2 %1984: 21.9 %1985: 24 %1986: 33.3 %1987: 34.7 %1988: 35 %1989: 40 %1990: 38.7 %1991: 34.4 %1992: 39.1 %1994: 20.8 %1995: 20.2 %1996: 20.3 %1997: 21.4 %1998: 20.9 %1999: 21.5 %2000: 22.9 %2001: 22.7 %2002: 19.1 %2003: 18.9 %2004: 20.6 %2005: 19.6 %2006: 18.7 %2007: 19.1 %2008: 20.5 %2009: 21 %2010: 20.2 %2011: 21.8 %2012: 26.2 %2013: 23.3 %2014: 21.6 %2015: 22.6 %2016: 23.9 %2017: 21.3 %2018: 19.8 %

Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, lending interest rate in Uganda stood at 19.8%.

That represents a change of down 6.7% on the previous year and down 3.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, lending interest rate in Uganda peaked at 40.0% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 12.0%, in 1980.

That places Uganda 16th out of 149 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.

Lending interest rate in Uganda, year by year

Annual values for Lending interest rate (%) in Uganda, 1980 to 2018.
Year % Change
1980 12.0% —
1981 12.5% +4.2%
1982 14.5% +16.0%
1983 16.2% +11.5%
1984 21.9% +35.6%
1985 24.0% +9.5%
1986 33.3% +38.9%
1987 34.7% +4.0%
1988 35.0% +1.0%
1989 40.0% +14.3%
1990 38.7% -3.3%
1991 34.4% -11.0%
1992 39.1% +13.6%
1994 20.8% -46.9%
1995 20.2% -2.9%
1996 20.3% +0.7%
1997 21.4% +5.3%
1998 20.9% -2.4%
1999 21.5% +3.3%
2000 22.9% +6.4%
2001 22.7% -1.2%
2002 19.1% -15.7%
2003 18.9% -0.8%
2004 20.6% +8.8%
2005 19.6% -4.6%
2006 18.7% -4.8%
2007 19.1% +2.2%
2008 20.5% +7.0%
2009 21.0% +2.5%
2010 20.2% -3.7%
2011 21.8% +8.2%
2012 26.2% +19.8%
2013 23.3% -11.0%
2014 21.6% -7.3%
2015 22.6% +4.7%
2016 23.9% +5.7%
2017 21.3% -10.9%
2018 19.8% -6.7%

Uganda compared with similar countries

  • Uganda's 19.8% is above the median for low income countries, which is 16.0%, 1.2× the median. (19 countries reporting)
  • Uganda's 19.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.4%, 1.6× the median. (39 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 24.4% 12.0% 40.0% 10
1990s 26.4% 20.2% 39.1% 9
2000s 20.3% 18.7% 22.9% 10
2010s 22.3% 19.8% 26.2% 9

Countries ranked near Uganda

  1. 13 Gambia 22.0% compare
  2. 14 Sierra Leone 21.4% compare
  3. 15 Venezuela 21.1% compare
  4. 17 Kyrgyzstan 19.8% compare
  5. 18 Ukraine 19.7% compare
  6. 19 Angola 19.4% compare

See the full ranking of 149 places →

More financial sector data for Uganda

All data for Uganda →

Frequently asked questions

What is lending interest rate in Uganda?
Lending interest rate in Uganda was 19.8% in 2018, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
What is the highest lending interest rate recorded in Uganda?
The highest recorded value was 40.0% in 1989.
What is the lowest lending interest rate recorded in Uganda?
The lowest recorded value was 12.0% in 1980.
How does Uganda rank for lending interest rate?
Uganda ranks 16th out of 149 countries with data for 2018.
Is lending interest rate rising or falling in Uganda?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Uganda data come from?
The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Lending interest rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Lending interest rate in Uganda. Statizoid, drawing on International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 25 September 2026, from https://financial-sector.statizoid.com/stat/lending-interest-rate-percent/uganda/

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About this data

Indicator
Lending interest rate (%)
Unit
%
Source
International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
149 places, 4,803 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Lending rate is the bank rate that usually meets the short- and medium-term financing needs of the private sector. This rate is normally differentiated according to creditworthiness of borrowers and objectives of financing. The terms and conditions attached to these rates differ by country, however, limiting their comparability.