China’s deepening involvement in African infrastructure has led 11 of the 20 most indebted countries to Beijing to come from the continent.
The Belt and Road Initiative, launched in 2013, aims to forge a global web of infrastructure connecting China with Asia, Europe, and Africa.
African nations have received billions in financing from China’s state-backed banks to build roads, railways, and power plants across the continent.
However, growing debt has sparked warnings from experts about a potential “debt trap,” with fears some states may lose control of strategic assets.
Critics highlight the lack of transparency and doubt the sustainability of many China-funded projects operating under opaque agreements.
According to World Bank data, Angola owes China \$17.8 billion, followed by Ethiopia at \$6.5 billion and Egypt at \$6.3 billion.
Other African borrowers include Zambia and Kenya with \$6 billion each, South Africa and Cameroon with \$3.5 billion, and both Congos with debts near \$3 billion.
Outside Africa, Pakistan tops the list with \$22.5 billion in Chinese debt, followed by Argentina with \$21.2 billion and Sri Lanka at \$8.6 billion.
Altay Atli of Koc University says Chinese state banks fund the projects, while Chinese companies execute them—embedding Beijing’s foreign policy in infrastructure deals.
“These are not random market developments,” Atli said. “They are coordinated state strategies under China’s capitalist model.”
He noted that Africa turns to China for quick and condition-free financing, in contrast to the West’s politically tied loans.
Yet Atli warned against idealising the arrangement, noting that Chinese firms act on behalf of state interests and expect full repayment.
He added that China avoids global transparency norms, fuelling debate over whether these loans help or harm African economies.
