Colombia’s economy grew in 2025 for the third consecutive year, appearing to confirm a slow recovery that had been taking shape in recent years, following a 2023 marked by near economic stagnation. However, Colombia’s GDP in 2025 was moderate.
Gross domestic product (GDP) closed the year with an expansion of 2.6%, a figure that reflects not only the resilience of productive activity in a complex context shaped by internal and external tensions, but also the growing dynamism of sectors that were not traditionally seen as central drivers of the economy.
For many analysts, this result would confirm that Colombia has moved past a phase of stagnation and is heading toward more sustainable growth rates, driven by a combination of consumption, investment and, surprisingly for some, the strength of the cultural sector.
However, the figures are still far from those of 2022, when the country grew by 7.5%, driven mainly by household consumption and the context of economic reactivation following the 2020 COVID-19 crisis.
The fact is that in 2023 the economy managed to grow only very modestly — 0.6% — in a complex global environment and amid internal challenges marked by contraction in traditional sectors.
The following year, 2024, closed with a clear improvement over the previous year — 1.6% — fueled by the recovery of domestic demand, a significant boost in agriculture and services, and a somewhat more favorable financial environment.
These precedents are key to understanding why the 2.6% figure in 2025 is viewed positively within the country and among investors closely watching Colombia’s economic performance.
Colombia consolidates GDP growth, leaving behind the stagnation of 2023
The growth figure for the Colombian GDP 2025, considered moderate, was released today, Monday, Feb. 16, by the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), following several days of tensions in the political and business spheres over the temporary suspension of the government decree that raised the minimum wage by 23.7% this year.
The data show an expansion of 2.3% in the fourth quarter (October–December) and 2.6% for the year as a whole. The economic sectors that made the largest contributions to GDP in 2025 were trade, transportation, accommodation, and food services.
These contributed 0.9 percentage points to annual growth after expanding 4.6%; followed by public administration and defense, education and health, which contributed 0.8 points with growth of 4.5%; and, in third place, arts and entertainment activities, which contributed 0.4 percentage points after annual growth of 9.9%.
“For the first time, it is not games of chance that are driving growth in this branch of economic activity, but rather concerts and events in cities such as Bogota and Medellin, although this was a trend observed throughout the country,” said Piedad Urdinola, director of DANE.
It should be noted that at the beginning of last year, predictions already pointed to this growth: While ECLAC projected a 2.7% increase in the CPI for Colombia, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD, correctly predicted that the increase would be 2.6%, a figure that was ultimately achieved at the end of 2025.
#PIB📈 El Producto Interno Bruto creció 2,6% en el año 2025pr respecto al año 2024p.
Mientras que en el 4. to Trimestre de 2025pr, el Producto Interno Bruto (PIB), creció 2,3%. pic.twitter.com/XRc4eYnSVm
— DANE Colombia (@DANE_Colombia) February 16, 2026
In a context of excessive debt growth, with an imminent election season marked by political polarization, and after a difficult year filled with tensions involving the U.S. government, economic growth in 2025 consolidates a slow trend following the recovery from an especially challenging 2023.
That year, the pace of economic expansion was particularly weak, marked by the fragility of key productive sectors and by a global environment still affected by lingering disruptions. By 2024, official figures showed improvement, with the economy growing at a faster pace than in 2023, reinforcing an upward trend supported by stronger domestic consumption and the recovery of certain production sectors.
Warning signs for 2026
Despite the positive data released today about the Colombian GDP 2025, some financial experts warn that if Colombia fails to raise its investment rate above 20%, the country will continue to post growth rates below 3%.
Regarding the data in question, investment fell 2.9% in the last quarter of 2025 and stood at 16% of GDP, the lowest percentage level in two decades.
In addition, the official figures released today indicate that public spending — which grew by 7.1% last year — is one of the most important factors explaining GDP growth, especially in the final stretch of the year.
In this way, it is the state that is sustaining growth through this spending, while the private sector is losing prominence.
In fact, sectors linked to investment and goods production continued to show weakness in 2025, as mining and quarrying posted a 6.2% decline over the year, affected by lower levels of oil, coal, and metallic mineral production.
Another area that remained in negative territory was construction, a sector that has accumulated three consecutive years of contraction. Specifically, 2025 closed with a 2.8% sectoral decline, with a significant drop in private construction that was not offset by civil works.